In the opening match of the two-match Test series, played between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, as a part of the 2024/25 World Cup Test championship, Sri Lanka achieved a comprehensive victory over Bangladesh with a staggering lead of 328 runs.
Sri Lanka controlled the game right from the start and maintained their dominance throughout the entire match. Sri Lanka’s newly appointed captain, Dananjaya de Silva, led his team with great determination and expertise, displaying exceptional professionalism.
Dananjaya Silva
Silva put up an exceptional performance with his batting skills in the match. His leadership and batting skills were nothing short of sublime. He played confidently and scored two centuries in both innings, which was remarkable.
Notably, when the first five wickets fell for a meagre 57 runs during the first innings, Dananjaya had to take on the responsibility of the game, which he did remarkably well. In the second innings, when four wickets fell for 64 runs, Silva again had to take charge of the game.
However, Silva, always smiling pleasantly, took on the challenge with great skill and built the Sri Lankan innings remarkably well. His leadership and batting skills were instrumental in leading the team to victory.
Kamindu Mendis
Sri Lanka was in a difficult position. After losing five wickets for just 57 runs, they were under immense pressure to build a respectable innings. Even their experienced batters, including Kusal Mendis, had failed to perform against the Bangladeshi bowlers.
Skipper Dananjaya knew he had to take charge and build a partnership with his next partner, Kamindu Mendis, who had only played one test before. Dananjaya was thinking hard about how to score big with an inexperienced partner.
To everyone’s surprise, Kamindu Mendis stepped up to the challenge and scored a century. He played with confidence, taking runs against the Bangladeshi bowlers without hesitation.
Dananjaya and Kamindu were skilled and patient batsmen, and they complemented each other perfectly. They managed to add 202 runs to Sri Lanka’s innings, rescuing the team from a difficult situation.
Both players scored 102 runs each, facing 258 balls in total. The innings only took 43 overs, which is similar to an ODI. A remarkable partnership saved Sri Lanka from a potential disaster and put them in a solid position to win the game.
Sri Lanka get only 280 runs
In the end, Sri Lanka was bowled out for 280 runs, with Kamindu and Dananjaya contributing 204 of them.
This total score wasn’t very impressive. Bangladesh is a team of very talented batters that recently defeated New Zealand. However, Bangladeshi batters started getting out unexpectedly due to the skill of the three Sri Lankan fast bowlers, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, and Lahiru Kumar.
Bangladesh made the most of the grassy pitch at Sylhet stadium, but Sri Lankan bowlers have learnt to bowl on grass pitches.
Bowlers need to take advantage of the good rise of the ball on green pitches.
In Test matches, only bowling to the wicket to wicket is not enough to achieve results. Bowlers can bowl freely and put pressure on batters. Sri Lankan fast bowlers often struggle on fast pitches in countries like Australia, England, and South Africa because they do not understand this situation, losing matches.
In the match against Bangladesh, all three Sri Lankan fast bowlers managed to bounce the ball well, making it difficult for Bangladeshi batters. Fast bowlers are responsible for putting pressure on batters, especially the tail-enders who cannot face short-pitch balls.
All 20 wickets were taken by fast bowlers
In an unprecedented move, the Sri Lankan cricket team relied solely on their fast bowlers to take all the wickets in this match. This is a significant departure from Sri Lanka’s traditional dependence on spinners. Even their best Test spinner, Prabhat Jayasuriya, only bowled 16 overs in the match.
This situation has allowed Sri Lanka to rethink their cricket strategy. Fast bowlers are crucial in winning matches on fast wickets. Sri Lanka can learn from the tactics and techniques of the fast bowlers of Australia and England.
By developing similar skills, Sri Lanka can enhance their performance and achieve better results. It is an exciting prospect for the Sri Lankan cricket team to explore and potentially revolutionise their approach to the game.
Bangladesh had 188 runs in the first innings and 182 in the second innings
Bangladesh faced an unexpected defeat when all their batters were dismissed by the Sri Lankan fast bowlers. Despite this setback, the Bangladeshi have a long-term plan for the future.
They deliberately created a green pitch that would help their fast bowlers improve their skills and become more competitive in the long run. It is an investment that will pay off in the future, as good fast bowlers will be produced by playing on such wickets.
Nahid Rana
It is worth noting that Bangladesh does not have many fast bowlers. Still, they have recently discovered a young talent named Nahid Rana. He is only 21 years old but has already shown impressive skills on the field.
In his first match, he took five wickets and proved a valuable asset to the team. Rana is a towering presence at 6 feet 2 inches, and he has a good bowling rhythm that sets him apart from other bowlers.
The Bangladesh team can rely on him to make a significant impact in the future.
Sri Lanka should follow the example of Bangladesh.
In Sri Lanka, it is common practice to avoid preparing green pitches and instead rely on spinners to secure victories.
While this tactic has been effective within their home grounds, it has not proven as successful in other countries, especially those with fast wickets. It is imperative for Sri Lanka to recognise this and reevaluate its strategy.
Slow pitches can pose a risk to fast bowlers as they have to expend extra energy to generate speed. Despite their best effort, the ball does not travel with the desired velocity in Sri Lankan wickets, causing the bowlers to use more force in their technique, which can lead to injuries, particularly in the legs.
In addition, bowling on pitches without grass makes it difficult for the ball to swing, resulting in an increased challenge for the bowlers. This difficulty can make it challenging for bowlers to adjust their technique when they have to bowl on green pitches, and thus, make it difficult to control the ball.
Dananjaya and Kamindu’s harmony
The partnership between Dananjaya and Kamindu was a significant achievement in the test match, as it has only happened five times in the history of cricket.
It was incredible that the same two batsmen scored centuries in both innings of the exact Test match. Without this inspiring feat, Sri Lanka would have been in a difficult situation in the game.
Such connections motivate the team and are essential for the team’s batting rhythm. The awakening of the team’s front-order batters is crucial in this regard.
Dananjaya and Kamindu were also instrumental in helping Sri Lanka score 418 runs in the second innings. Dananjaya 108, kamindu 164, Additionally, Dimuth Karunaratne scored 52 runs, while fast bowler Kasun Rajitha took 5 wickets.
Despite the failure of the front-line batters, Sri Lanka won by 328 runs thanks to the outstanding performance of the fast bowlers and Dananjaya and Kamindu. Consequently, Sri Lanka is now leading the series 1-0.
This victory will allow Sri Lanka to occupy the 6th position in the ICC Test championship, while Bangladesh is currently in 7th place. Therefore, the outcome of the following test match is vital for both teams, as the winner will be ranked 4th in the Test Championship.
