Sports

Sri Lanka to target Tamim in second Test

Published

5 years ago

2021/04/29

Rex Clementine at Pallekele

He did not score a hundred in the first Test last week, but it was Tamim Iqbal, who took the game away from the Sri Lankans. With an array of attacking strokes, Tamim punished the bowlers and was batting as if he was featuring in a T-20. Not necessarily the bowlers had to err, like in the case of Dhananjaya de Silva, against whom he came down the track and hoisted for three sixes in the second innings.

Such was his dominance, when Tamim reached his half-century on Sunday, Bangladesh’s total was 52. It was like Sanath Jayasuriya reborn. He followed up his first innings 90 with an unbeaten 74 in the second innings. If not for rain, that washed out the final session’s play on Sunday, Tamim could have posted his hundred.

Sri Lanka will be looking to dismiss him early in the second Test that gets underway at Pallekele today.

Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne admitted that Tamim featured heavily in his team’s plans. “He plays the anchor role for their team. He will try and unsettle our bowlers. We will try and restrict his big shots and send him on a defensive mode. When we attack him, he counter attacks and that backfires. If you analyze the last few series, he has not done well against off-spin so that’s probably the option to take a wicket. Suranga Lakmal has a chance with the new ball as well to dismiss him cheaply. We will think of a plan and need to execute it,” Karunaratne told journalists yesterday.

The wicket for the first Test was disappointing and it remains to be seen what the teams will be presented with for the second Test.

Sri Lanka have drafted in Lakshan Sandakan into the squad and with his wicket taking abilities, he might get a game while seamer Asitha Fernando is also in contention.

Bangladesh could make one change leaving out seamer Abu Jayed for Shoriful Hossain.

“We did well to draw the first Test. Coming into the series after a heavy defeat at the hands of West Indies, we were happy with our effort to draw the first Test and we look forward for the second Test,” Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque said.

Sri Lanka:

(Probable XI) Dimuth Karunaratne (Captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Niroshan Dickwella (Wicketkeeper), Suranga Lakmal, Lakshan Sandakan, Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando.

Bangladesh:

(Probable XI) Tamim Iqbal, Saif Hassan, Najmul Shanto, Mominul Haque (Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das (Wicketkeeper), Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Ebadat Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Hossain

Umpires:

Kumar Dharmasena and Ruchira Palliyaguruge

Third Umpire:

Ravindra Wimalasiri

Match Referee:

Ranjan Madugalle

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Establishment of the National Higher Performance Centre

Published

1 hour ago

2026/10/20

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports to establish the proposed National Higher Performance Centre for atletes.

Latest News

Shafali receives demerit point for breaching Level 1 of ICC code of conduct

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/20

Priyan

File photo: It was Shafali's first offence in a 24-month period (Cricinfo)

India opener Shafali Verma has received an official reprimand and a demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second T20I against Zimbabwe on Sunday.

Shafali, an ICC release said, breached Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match.”

It was Shafali’s first offence in a 24-month period.

The incident occurred in the 12th over of Zimbabwe’s innings when Shafali threw the ball into the ground in frustration after dropping a chance at mid-off offered by Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano off Sree Charani.

Shafali admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee GS Lakshmi, which meant there was no need for a formal hearing.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50% of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

India currently lead the three-match series 2-0 with the third game to be played on Tuesday evening. The T20Is will be followed by three ODIs in Vadodara from October 23.

(Cricinfo)

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Molineux, Dunkley enter WPL 2027 auction with top base price of INR 50 lakh

Published

16 hours ago

2026/10/20

Priyan

Sophie Molineux has previously played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the WPL [BCCI]

A total of 146 players will be competing for 27 available slots in the WPL 2027 mini auction on October 28 in Kochi. Of these, England batter Sophia Dunkley and Australia captain Sophie Molineux are the only two players who have listed themselves at the maximum base price of INR 50 lakh.

The auction pool has 119 Indian players, including 22 capped and 97 uncapped players, with 20 slots available for Indian players. The overseas pool has 27 players – 14 capped and 13 uncapped – including six from Associate teams, with seven slots available.

G Kamalini (released by Mumbai Indians), Kiran Navigre (released by U P Warriorz), Heather Graham and Jess Jonassen have registered at the second-highest base price of INR 40 lakh, while a total of 30 players have registered at INR 30 lakh.

Among the notable absentees are West Indies allrounder Deandra Dottin, who was released by UPW, and Australia legspinner Alana King, who was released by Delhi Capitals. Lizelle Lee, who was DC’s highest run-scorer last season, has also not listed herself after being released by the franchise.

What the teams look like going into the auction

Only two English players – Dunkley and Kira Chathli (INR 10 lakh) – have registered for the auction, with several others, including Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Alice Capsey, Dani Gibson, Lauren Filer and Linsey Smith opting to skip the WPL next year.

Cricinfo has learned that England are likely to play three T20Is in Sri Lanka in early February, which will clash with the final week of the WPL. While the ECB is likely to allow players to stay in India to complete the tournament, most players have instead chosen to prioritise their international commitments ahead of the Champions Trophy later that month.

The relatively low salaries on offer at the WPL are also understood to be a factor in many English players deciding not to register, with most internationals earning significantly more to play in the Hundred (up to £190,000 last year) than the highest permitted base price in the WPL of INR 50 lakh (£40,000 approx).

Molineux was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru [RCB] title-winning squad in 2024, and had bagged 12 wickets in ten games at an economy rate of 7.31. She was retained by RCB for the 2025 season but a knee injury ruled her out of the season. Dunkley, meanwhile, played for Gujarat Giants [GT] in 2023 before opting not to register for the 2024 season. She went unsold in the 2025 auction.

Among the premier internationals who have listed themselves for INR 30 lakh are Australia allrounder Grace Harris (released by RCB), Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, South Africa left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba and South Africa allrounder Chloe Tryon.

UPW, who released nine players, will go into the auction with the biggest purse of INR 3.75 crore.

[Cricinfo]