SL vs NZ, 2nd Test: Preview, Dream11 and more
Sri Lanka and New Zealand will battle it out against each other in the second and final Test of the two-match series from Thursday onwards. Lanka sealed the first Test after an epic six-wicket victory at Galle. New Zealand will be hoping to show their mettle. There are 60 points up for grabs in the ICC World Test Championship. Here's more.
Lanka will not take things for granted against New Zealand and will be wary of a fightback. The hosts haven't dictated the show at the P Sara Oval in Colombo. They have won only two out of the last seven Tests played here. Therefore, Lanka will want to start fresh and eye those 60 points. They will need to get the basics right.
Dimuth Karunaratne slammed a superb century in the first Test and a lot of hope is pinned on him to deliver the goods once again. The Lankan captain will want to continue in the same vein. There are some quality batsmen in Lankan ranks that will test Kiwi bowlers. Lanka bowled well at Galle and that was a big positive.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson suffered a rare twin failure in the first Test. The classy Williamson needs to get things right this time and score the bulk of runs. He has all the ingredients to shine. Veteran batsman Ross Taylor is key as well. The inning of 86 at Galle will help him. New Zealand will want to step up with the ball.
"It's a new game and I'm sure we've been in this situation many a time - being 1-0 down - and we've come back and played strong. Come back and show that fighting the spirit," said Kiwi batsman Taylor. "I try to go for those big scores as much as I can. When I get the opportunity, I push for that," said Karunaratne.
Lahiru Thirimanne and Karunaratne open the batting for this Dream11 team. Karunaratne gets the captaincy nod. Williamson, Taylor (vice-captain) and Angelo Mathews provide the experience. BJ Watling comes in as the wicket-keeper batsman, alongside Tom Latham. Dhananjaya de Silva is the main all-rounder. Trent Boult and Suranga Lakmal are the pacers, whereas, spinners Akila Dananjaya and Ajaz Patel add crucial depth and wicket-taking abilities.
Teams batting second at the P Sara Oval have gone on to win seven Tests out of the last 10 matches played here. As per reports, there is a strong chance of rain on the opening day of the Test. The match is scheduled for a 10:00 AM IST start. The match will be telecast live on the Sony Ten Network.
