After winning the ODI series against India by a 2-0 margin, Sri Lanka is all set to focus on the longest format. They are all set to face England in a Test series. Before stepping into the first match of the series the Sri Lankan side played a four-day practice match with the England Lions. Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva wanted extra warm-up matches before the England Test series but was denied.
Sri Lanka’s Defeat in Warm-Up Match and Captain’s Words:
After a lot of international cricket, Sri Lanka is all set to face England in a three-match Test series. Before stepping into the journey, Sri Lanka faced England Lions for a four-day warm-up match. In this match, Sri Lanka struggled. While batting first, the England Lions bowlers dominated them. In front of their strong bowling, the Sri Lankan batters failed to execute their plans. In the second innings, their batting was slightly better. Nishan Madushka, Angelo Matthews, and Dhananjaya de Silva secured half-centuries.
In the warm-up games, the Sri Lankan side faced a 7-wicket defeat. After the defeat, Sri Lankan skipper Dhananjaya de Silva focused on that. He said, “The conditions are quite different to Asian countries. We wanted to play a few matches, but that’s what we get.”
Later the skipper added, “We didn’t go with the full-strength [team]. We have tried out a few players as well. The result didn’t go our way, but we had the preparation, I think. It’ll work in this match.”
On Overlooking the Another Warm-Up Match Urge:
The Sri Lankan side wished to play another warm-up match ahead of the series. Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva expressed frustration over not getting a second warm-up match. He admitted he was unsure why the request was ignored but hinted that a tight schedule might have been the reason. This series is Sri Lanka’s first multi-Test series since 2018, adding to the need for proper preparation.
De Silva said, “I have no idea about it. Maybe because we are playing a three-match series after a long time; maybe that’s the reason.”
Sri Lanka hasn’t played a Test for long but arrives after an impressive ODI series win against India. The challenges in Test cricket are different. Even after losing the warm-up game, they are hoping for a positive start. The team is fully prepared and ready for the series.
While talking about this, the Sri Lankan captain said, “Our mental state is good,” he said. “Yes, we lost the practice match, but that match is there for our training. Within that, we got the preparation we wanted.”
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