Sri Lanka, as reported by the Agence France-Presse (AFP), Shaheen Shah Afridi, the prominent Pakistani bowler, aims to achieve his 100th Test wicket during the initial Test against Sri Lanka, commencing in Galle on Sunday. This endeavor comes precisely one year after his unfortunate injury at the same venue.
Shaheen had accumulated 99 Test wickets when he sustained an injury while attempting to prevent the ball from crossing the boundary line. This incident marked his last participation in the long format of the game.
The athlete expressed to AFP his perspective on injuries being a common occurrence in the life of an athlete. He made this statement following Pakistan’s two-day warm-up match against a Sri Lanka Cricket President’s XI, which concluded in a draw at Hambantota.
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As stated by the individual, achieving a century of Test wickets would be considered a significant accomplishment. Furthermore, they have experienced a prolonged period of anticipation in their pursuit of reaching this milestone.
Being separated from cricket has presented its challenges. However, the passage of time has proven to be instrumental in facilitating my acquisition of valuable knowledge and insights.
Both sides are currently shadows of their former Test powers. They have embarked on a lengthy endeavor to meet the qualification criteria for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final in 2025.
According to the current ICC Test rankings, the hosts are in seventh place, while the visitors hold sixth.
In the previous series, Pakistan emerged victorious in the first Test, securing a four-wicket win. However, Sri Lanka bounced back in the second Test, winning by a significant margin of 246 runs to level the series. It is worth noting that Shaheen was absent from the attack during this match. Both matches were conducted at the Galle venue.
During the recent warm-up match, Shaheen exhibited exceptional bowling skills, delivering the ball at a remarkable speed and displaying a deadly seam. He successfully claimed three wickets for 36 runs in 12 overs, contributing to Pakistan’s dismissal of the opposing team for a total of 196 runs.
The individual expressed enthusiasm for their Test comeback in the nation where they sustained their injury.
Sri Lanka is currently seeking a replacement for Asitha Fernando, who unfortunately contracted dengue fever. The potential candidate for this position is Dilshan Madushanka, a left-arm pacer who has not yet represented the national team.
Following a promising initiation into white-ball cricket, the 22-year-old Madushanka has participated in six One Day Internationals (ODIs) and eleven Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). With his inclusion in Sri Lanka’s squad of 16 for the upcoming first Test, Madushanka is now aspiring to debut in the Test format.
In the final match of the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier against the Netherlands, he demonstrated exceptional performance and was awarded the title of Player of the Match. During the game, he showcased his skills by taking three wickets for 18 runs in an impressive new-ball spell.
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The hosts’ squad includes a new addition: off-spinner Lakshitha Manasinghe.
However, he will face competition from other spinners to secure a position in the team. These include Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, the recently called-back Praveen Jayawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, and middle-order batsman Dhananjaya de Silva.
De Silva has been designated as the successor to the Test captaincy and appointed as the deputy to Dimuth Karunaratne. Karunaratne is recuperating from a hamstring injury and intends to relinquish his position before the new WTC cycle. However, the selectors have requested him to continue in his role.
The selectors have decided to recall Pathum Nissanka as cover for Karunaratne. Nissanka has primarily been involved in white-ball cricket since his last Test appearance against Australia at Galle in July 2022.
Squads:
The Pakistan team for both Tests consists of the following players: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain and wicketkeeper), Sarfraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Aamer Jamal, Abrar Ahmed, Hassan Ali, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
The Sri Lanka team for the first Test match consists of the following players: Dimuth Karunaratne as the captain, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva as the vice-captain, Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama as the wicketkeeper, Kamindu Mendis, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Praveen Jayawickrama, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka, Vishwa Fernando, and Lakshitha Manasinghe.