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The Pakistan squad for the upcoming two-match Test series arrived in Sri Lanka on Thursday. Skipper Babar Azam would hope that his team could win this series as it would boost their chances of finishing in the top 2 in the World Test Championship points table. Pakistan recently toppled India and went up to the third spot after India's loss to England in the Edgbaston Test and the subsequent docking of points due to slow over rate.
Sri Lanka's team were hit by a Covid-19 outbreak on the eve of Friday's second Test against Australia with Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeffrey Vandersay and Asitha Fernando all testing positive for the virus. "All three players were found to be positive during a Rapid Antigen Test conducted yesterday," Sri Lanka Cricket said Thursday.
Uncapped spinners Maheesh Theekshana and Dinuth Wellalage were on Tuesday drafted into Sri Lanka's Covid-hit squad for the second Test against Australia. Left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama on Monday tested positive for coronavirus after former captain Angelo Mathews had to pull out on the third day of the opening Test with Covid. Both the players are in isolation and the rest of the squad have tested negative, Sri Lanka Cricket said.
Australian spinner Ashton Agar was on Saturday ruled out of the second Test in Sri Lanka after failing to recover from an injury. The tourists, led by Pat Cummins, are 1-0 up in the two-match series after crushing Sri Lanka in the opening Test. Agar, a left-arm spinner, suffered a side strain in the one-day internationals last month and will be replaced by Jon Holland in the squad for the final Test starting Friday.
Persistent rain and heavy winds left behind a trail of destruction at the Galle International Stadium on Thursday, delaying the start of play on Day 2 of the ongoing first Test between Sri Lanka and Australia. An enclosure in the stadium collapsed due to the wind, while a glass panel broke and fell on the ground. Thankfully, though, nobody was hurt in the stadium, according to reports. The rain has delayed the start of play by more than two hours.
Nathan Lyon's five-for helped Australia bowl out Sri Lanka for 212, before the hosts hit back with three wickets in a fast-moving opening Test on Wednesday. The tourists reached 98 for three at stumps after Sri Lankan spinner Ramesh Mendis struck twice, including David Warner's key wicket for 25, on a turning pitch at the picturesque Galle stadium. Steve Smith was run out on six after a mix up with opener Usman Khawaja, unbeaten on 47, and returned to the pavilion waving his hands in dismay.
SL vs AUS 1st Test, Day 1 Live Updates: Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat in the first Test against Australia in Galle on Wednesday. Sri Lanka will be high on confidence after winning their maiden home ODI series against Australia in 30 years and will look to do well in the Test series. Spinner Jeffrey Vandersay has been handed his debut Test cap, with the hosts opting for three spinners. Australia, meanwhile, have opted for two spinners in Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Swepson. Travis Head is also an option for spin if Australia want to turn to him. Captain Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc make up the pace attack, with all-rounder Cameron Green also an option. (LIVE SCORECARD)
Australia's Mitchell Swepson will play the opening Test against Sri Lanka, with touring skipper Pat Cummins on Tuesday calling the leg-spinner an "important cog" of their bowling. The 28-year-old Swepson will partner premier spinner Nathan Lyon at the start of the two-match series in Galle on Wednesday where the pitch is expected to be a turner. Cummins stopped short of disclosing the full Australian XI with doubts over batsman Travis Head who injured his hamstring during the team's loss in the one-day internationals.