Truer to the old is gold slogan, the retiring Angelo Mathews, a veteran of 118 test appearances and over 8000 runs and 16 centuries and 45 half centuries to his credit, makes his farewell appearance in quest of a swansong innings of gold sign off when Sri Lana takes on Bangladesh in the first test match at the Galle International Stadium where the season campaigner will need to ride out the dual challenges of a spin heavy wicket and a durable pair in the art in Mehidy Hasan and Taijul Islam tomorrow.
In what will be the ultimate to a 16-year long test career, Mathews who has been battling form in a waning career, will be predictably seeking a grand exit to drawing on all his experience for one last of his innings of gold, most memorable being his landmark series winning test triumph 160 over England at Headingley in 2014.
From a Sri Lankan view point, as the last of the old guard departs in the wake of Dimuth Karunaratne’s retirement four months ago during the lost home series to Asutralia, does see a new order in five newcomers likely to make up the eleven, four of whom batsmen in Lahiru Udara, Sonal Dinusha, Pavan Rathnayake and Pasindu Sooriyabandara with the fifth being all-rounder Isitha Wijesundera on the strength of telling domestic performances while a sixth in sight of making it is the recalled spin prodigy Akila Dananjaya in the wake of a highly wicket taking run in recent tournaments.
It is significant that both sides face off from a lean run in recent outings with Bangladesh losing early in the year in tomorrow’s clash that signals the new Test Championship calendar year.
Dananjaya, who last played a test match in 2019, is tipped to pair off with Prabath Jayasuriya in posing a somewhat back foot Bangladesh top order in recent outings a threat by their spin artistry. Jayasuriya has been quite a match winner for Sri Lanka on the Galle track although the last series against Australia was a kickback.
Sri Lanka are strong favourites on a 20-match win record to Bangladesh’s solitary win from 26 matches. Bangladeshs trump card will be skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto an impeccable batsman.
Lankan Skipper Dhananjaya de Silva in a pep up speech to his team while addressing the media this morning at Galle, urged every player to give his hundred per cent.
He regretted that Sri Lanka had lost out on a golden opportunity of making the last world test championship final. As to the handicap of the championship match scheduling with Sri Lanka’s next outing billed for the middle of 2026, DeSilva said, “Let’s not think of that, but go ahead with our preparations to performing to optimum.”
Sri Lanka (likely): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Lahiru Udara, 3 Dinesh Chandimal, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Kamindu Mendis, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), 7 Kusal Mendis (wk), 8 Tharindu Ratnayake, 9 Prabath Jayasuriya, 10 Akila Dananjaya, 11 Asitha Fernando
Bangladesh (likely): 1 Shadman Islam, 2 Anamul Haque, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Jaker Ali (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Nayeem Hasan, 9 Taijul Islam, 10 Hasan Murad, 11 Hasan Mahmud.
