Fantasy XI

WK: Sarfaraz Ahmed

BAT: Dimuth Karunaratne, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Dinesh Chandimal

AR: Dhananjaya de Silva, Ramesh Mendis, Agha Salman

BOWL: Prabath Jayasuriya, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed

C/VC: Dhananjaya de Silva, Ramesh Mendis

Alternatives: Shan Masood, Naseem Shah, Angelo Mathews

C/VC Alternatives: Babar Azam, Dimuth Karunaratne, Prabath Jayasuriya

Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo  – Venue Notes

Average Inning-wise Score in Tests in 2016-18: 1st - 413, 2nd - 231, 3rd - 309, 4th - 245

Batting First vs Batting Second in Tests in 2016-18: Won Bat 1st - 100%, Won Bat 2nd - 0%

SL-PAK Players in the top 10 leading run-scorers list since 2015: Dimuth Karunratne(1), Dhananjaya de Silva(2), Kusal Mendis(3), Angelo Mathews(4), Dinesh Chandimal(6)

SL-PAK Players in the top 10 leading wicket-takers list since 2015: None

Pitch Report: Batting first might be the best choice at the toss as the team batting first has dominated in Test Matches at this ground. The pacers will be expected to maximise any assistance that they get in the first two days, and spinners will dominate as the surface gets used. 

It is generally a slow, even surface, and quality batters can easily pile up the runs on this pitch.

Predicted Playing XI - Sri Lanka (SL) vs Pakistan (PAK), 2nd Test 2023

Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne©, Nishan Madhushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama(wk), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Kasun Rajitha/Dilshan Madushanka, Vishwa Fernando

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam©, Sarfaraz Ahmed(wk), Saud Shakeel, Agha Salman, Noman Ali, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Sri Lanka (SL) vs Pakistan (PAK), 2nd Test 2023 - Stat Box

SRI LANKA: 

Numbers against Pakistan in Test Matches (since 2015)

Angelo Mathews vs PAK: Inns - 15, Runs - 489, Avg - 35, 50s - 2, 100s- 1

Kusal Mendis vs PAK: Inns - 13, Runs - 226, Avg - 17, 50s - 1

Sadeera Samarawickrama vs PAK: Inns - 4, Runs - 98, Avg - 24, 50s - 0

Dhananjaya de Silva vs PAK: Inns - 9, Runs - 514, Avg - 64, 100s - 3, 50s - 1

Dimuth Karunaratne vs PAK: Inns - 19, Runs - 891, Avg - 47, 50s - 5, 100s - 2

Dinesh Chandimal vs PAK: Inns - 18, Runs - 755, Avg - 47, 50s - 6, 100s - 1

Ramesh Mendis vs PAK: Inns - 6, Runs - 113, Avg - 38, Wickets - 18, Bowl Avg - 25.8

Prabath Jayasuriya vs PAK: Inns - 6, Wickets - 24, Bowl Avg - 25.6

Vishwa Fernando vs PAK: Inns - 5, Wickets - 3, Bowl Avg - 87

Kasun Rajitha vs PAK: Inns - 4, Wickets - 3, Bowl Avg - 47

Numbers at Colombo in Test Matches (since 2015)

Angelo Mathews: Inns - 10, Runs - 291, Avg - 29, 50s - 1, 100s- 1

Kusal Mendis: Inns - 8, Runs - 305, Avg - 38, 50s - 1, 100s - 1

Dhananjaya de Silva: Inns - 8, Runs - 344, Avg - 49, 50s - 3, 100s - 1

Dimuth Karunaratne: Inns - 10, Runs - 450, Avg - 45, 50s - 3, 100s - 1

Dinesh Chandimal: Inns - 6, Runs - 228, Avg - 38, 50s - 0, 100s - 1

PAKISTAN: 

Numbers against Sri Lanka in Tests (since 2015)

Abdullah Shafique vs SL: Inns - 6, Runs - 216, Avg - 43, 100s - 1

Agha Salman vs SL: Inns - 6, Runs - 172, Avg - 34, 50s - 2, Wickets - 4

Babar Azam vs SL: Inns - 13, Runs - 609, Avg - 55, 50s - 3, 100s - 3

Imam-ul-Haq vs SL: Inns - 6, Runs - 169, Avg - 34

Sarfaraz Ahmed vs SL: Inns - 10, Runs - 341, Avg - 38, 50s - 3, 100s - 0

Shan Masood vs SL: Inns - 11, Runs - 427, Avg - 38, 50s - 1, 100s - 2

Saud Shakeel vs SL: Inns - 2, Runs - 238, Avg - 238, 50s - 0, 100s - 1  

Mohammad Nawaz: Inns - 4, Rns - 48, Avg - 16, Wickets - 10, Bowl Avg - 26

Naseem Shah vs SL: Inns - 9, Wickets - 17, Bowl Avg - 29

Shaheen Afridi vs SL: Inns - 7, Wickets - 17, Bowl Avg - 24

Abrar Ahmed vs SL: 3w, 3w

Noman Ali vs SL: Inns - 4, Wickets - 5, Bowl Avg - 48

Numbers at Sri Lanka grounds in Tests (since 2015)

Abdullah Shafique: Inns - 6, Runs - 216, Avg - 44, 50s - 0, 100s - 1  

Agha Salman: Inns - 6, Runs - 172, Avg - 34, 50s - 2, 100s - 0  

Saud Shakeel: Inns - 2, Runs - 238, Avg - 238, 50s - 0, 100s - 1  

Babar Azam: Inns - 6, Runs - 308, Avg - 51, 50s - 2, 100s - 1

Sarfaraz Ahmed: Inns - 6, Runs - 222, Avg - 44, 50s - 2, 100s - 0  

Shaheen Afridi: Inns - 4, Wickets - 9, Bowl Avg - 25.4

Imam-ul-Haq: Inns - 6, Runs - 169, Avg - 34, 50s - 1, 100s - 0  

Shan Masood: Inns - 4, Runs - 184, Avg - 46, 50s - 0, 100s - 1  

Mohammad Nawaz: Inns - 4, Wickets - 10, Bowl Avg - 26.1

Noman Ali: Inns - 4, Wickets - 5, Bowl Avg - 48

Naseem Shah: Inns - 6, Wickets - 10, Bowl Avg - 30

Sri Lanka (SL) vs Pakistan (PAK), 2nd Test – Fantasy Notes

Base Team Picks and Points to Consider

  • Base Team picks: Babar Azam, Dimuth Karunaratne, Saud Shakeel, Dhananjaya de Silva Shaheen Afridi, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya
  • Sarfaraz Ahmed and Sadeera Samarawickrama are the wicketkeepers for their respective teams. Along with the points that they can accumulate as keepers, they are also decent batters and therefore, they can give you some differential value as there is no clear popular WK pick as of now.
  • Kusal Mendis is the 3rd highest run scorer in Tests since 2015 but he has poor numbers (17 Avg) against Pakistan. If it is a risk, we will consider taking the risk of leaving him out of our teams. Not only that, he does not have the backup of points that he could have received as a keeper.
  • Angelo Mathews had an excellent record at Colombo in his Test career but since 2015, his average at the ground has fallen under 30. 
  • On the other hand, Dinesh Chandimal (7.4%) and Shan Masood ((16%) can be good differential batting options. Masood has adopted a different approach to Tests and he has been looking in good form with the bat so far, including scoring a century in the Practice match. Chandimal on the other hand, has a good record against Pakistan and averages close to 40 at Colombo since 2015.
  • The two stars with the bat for Pakistan in the first Test were Saud Shakeel and Agha Salman. While Shakeel will be a part of our base team due to the spectacular start of his Test career so far, while Agha Salman in addition to his good performance with the bat, also bowled a couple of overs with his off spin. They are safe picks to back in the second Test.
  • Among the pacers, Shaheen Afridi is a default pick, not only because of his threat with the ball but he has also become a much more improved batter in recent times. 
  • Differential pace options: Kasun Rajitha (Sri Lanka) and Naseem Shah (Pakistan). They can be backed in your XI if their respective team is bowling first, when there will be some assistance for pace from the surface.

 

Note: Return after 15 minutes of the toss for a fully updated XI, Also stay tuned to our telegram channel for regular updates

Stats Credit: Cricinfo, Cricmetric

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