Sri Lanka set to hit stride in Zimbabwe
Sri Lanka last played Zimbabwe at home in 2017
Sri Lanka will mark Zimbabwe’s re-entry into international cricket after the International Cricket Council (ICC) revoked its suspension on Zimbabwe Cricket last year.
The first Test match in the two-game series will begin today at Harare Sports Club. The second game is scheduled to be played from January 27 at the same venue.
This series will come as a rare dose of good news for Zimbabwe Cricket following a troubled 2019 in which they were the only Test playing nation that did not play Test cricket. They also became the first full ICC member in history to be suspended by the ICC due to interference by the country’s government in cricketing affairs.
Zimbabwe are not part of the ongoing ICC Test Championship so no points will be up for grabs in the series.
Since the first encounter in 1994, these two cricketing nations have played 18 Tests between them with Sri Lanka winning 13 and the remaining five ending as drawn encounters. Zimbabwe are yet to register a Test match win over the South Asian counterparts.
The challenge in Zimbabwe will be an ideal opportunity for the sixth-ranked Sri Lankan side to regain form, after succumbing to a 1-0 loss at the hands of the hosts, Pakistan last December.
With an important Test series against England at home coming up in March, Sri Lanka will look to hit their stride in all three departments.
“We need to start winning because with all the teams, we can have the best preparation in the world and the best role clarity to the players but ultimately we need to have some success,” Sri Lanka Head Coach Mickey Arthur told before departing for Zimbabwe.
“This [series] will give us a really good opportunity as a Test unit to go and consolidate positions, turn in big performances ahead of what is going to be very big Test series against England at home which is just a couple of months away.”
The Lankan batting order is set to remain the same from the Karachi Test for the series opener in Harare. With the controversial axing of Kusal Perera from the squad, the team management faced plenty of criticism. Therefore, the likes of skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews are expected to score big in Zimbabwe.
The Lankan bowling attack, though has been strengthened by the return of premier fast bowler Suranga Lakmal, who missed the Pakistan tour after contracting dengue fever.
In their last Test assignment in Bangladesh in 2018, Zimbabwe registered a win in the first match, followed by a loss in the second game.
Under the new leadership of Sean Williams, following the retirement of Hamilton Masakadza, who has since moved into the role of director of cricket, Zimbabwe is set to begin a new era with five uncapped players named in the squad.
“We have not had much game time, so the players will be very keen and eager to seize this opportunity and do well,” Zimbabwe Head Coach Lalchand Rajput said in a statement from Zimbabwe Cricket.
Experienced seamer Tendai Chatara was ruled out of the home series with a biceps injury but the likes of Kyle Jarvis and Donald Tiripano will provide plenty of experience in the seam bowling front for the hosts, while seasoned batsmen in Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza and Craig Ervine will also need to play a pivotal role for Zimbabwe.
Teams
- Zimbabwe (from): Sean Williams (c), Sikandar Raza, Regis Chakabva (wk), Craig Ervine, Kyle Jarvis, Kevin Kasuza, Timycen Masruma, Prince Masvaure, Brian Mudzinganyama, Carl Mumba, Ainsley Ndlovu, Victor Nyauchi, Brendan Taylor, Donald Tiripano, Charlton Tshuma
- Sri Lanka (from): Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dhananjaya De Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Embuldeniya, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal