Spin-heavy Bangladesh to Face Upbeat Sri Lanka

Chittagong: Bangladesh are depending on their spin force led by veteran Abdur Razzaq to deliver the opening punch against Sri Lanka in the first of two Tests starting Wednesday at Chittagong.

Razzaq, 35, was the third spinner added to the squad for the match in Chittagong after skipper and star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was ruled out with a finger injury. He recalled for Tests after nearly four years.

Uncapped left-arm orthodox spinner Sunzumul Islam and leg-spinner Tanbir Hayder are also part of the 16-man squad to be led by Mahmudullah Riyad.

Razzak, who played the last of his 12 Tests against West Indies in 2014, is determined to prove that the selectors made the right call.

Bangladesh have been a dominant home side after registering memorable Test wins against England and Australia in the 2016-17 season.

But their only Test win against Sri Lanka came in their landmark 100th Test in Colombo, when the visitors drew the two-match series 1-1.

Sri Lanka, led by Dinesh Chandimal, are upbeat after their recent triumph in the tri-series one-day international tournament. They beat Bangladesh in Dhaka on Saturday.

However Sri Lanka also have a gap to fill after veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews was ruled out of the first game due to injury.

Manager Asanka Gurusinha confirmed that the team would not seek a replacement for Mathews.

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have so far played 18 Tests against each other, with the islanders winning 15 of them.

Teams from

Bangladesh: Mahmudullah (Capt.), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das (wk), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mosaddek Hossain, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Kamrul Islam, Mehedi Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Naeem Hasan, Sunzamul Islam, Tanbir Hayder, Abdur Razzak.

Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (Capt. & wk), Dimuth Karunaratne, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Roshen Silva, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Dilruwan Perera, Dushmantha Chameera, Lakshan Sandakan, Akila Dananjaya, Lahiru Gamage, Lahiru Kumara.

Stats and trivia

• 86 runs needed by Angelo Mathews to reach 5,000 Test runs and Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal required 114 for 4000 Test runs.
• Four wicket needed by Suranga Lakmal to reach 100 Test wickets.
• 69 runs needed by Mahmudullah to reach 2,000 Test runs and Mominul Haque needed 160 for same land mark.

Match facts
January 31 to February 4, 2018
Start time 9:30 local (0330 GMT)