PREVIEW:

By Srian Obeyesekere

A buoyant Sri Lanka will go flat oetzqut to make it two in a row against minnows Ireland when the two sides meet tomorrow in the second test at the same venue at Galle International Cricket Stadium.

Fresh from the host country’s biggest win in test cricket by an innings and 280 runs, the Lankans will be keen to up their test standings despite their chances of making it to the final of the World Test Championship 2023 that was on a high were blown off following the defeat to New Zealand of the last time out two away tests.

Sri Lanka is currently placed 7th in the ICC Test Team Rankings with 2,432 points from 29 matches behind sixth placed Pakistan who have 2,638 points from 30 games with Australia leading with 4,143 points from 34, India second with 4,420 points from 37, England third 5,314 points from 50, South Africa fourth 3,336 points from 32, and New Zealand fifth 3,700 points from 36. Ireland is placed last at 12th in the table behind Sri Lanka with no points from one (as last updated in March 2023), and the West Indies eighth with 2,571 points from 34, Bangladesh ninth 1,161 points from 25,.Afghanistan tenth 119 points from 3, Zimbabwe eleventh 243 points from 9.

Sri Lanka will go with the same squad and the same winning eleven down to do duty tomorrow. Meanwhile, Ireland have called up opening batsman Paul Stirling who flew back home after the Bangladesh white ball series. His recall follows the change to the original schedule.