BSS
  02 Feb 2024, 11:09

Sri Lanka bowl first in one-off Test against Afghanistan

COLOMBO, Feb 2, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bowl first in the one-off Test match against Afghanistan at Sinhalese Sports Club grounds in Colombo on Friday.

Dhananjaya de Silva became the 18th man to captain Sri Lanka in Test match cricket.

Seam bowler Chamika Gunasekara is making his Test debut for Sri Lanka as the hosts opted to play three seamers and one spinner.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, handed Test debuts to four players -- Noor Ali Zadran, Zia-ur-Rehman, Mohammad Saleem and Naveed Zadran.

The match is not part of the World Test Championship (WTC).

The one-off Test will be followed by three ODIs in Kandy and three T20 matches in Dambulla.

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Noor Ali Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Nasir Jamal, Ikram Alikhil (wicketkeeper), Qais Ahmad, Zia-ur-Rehman, Nijat Masood, Mohammad Saleem and Naveed Zadran.

Sri Lanka: Dhananjaya de Silva (captain), Kusal Mendis, Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wicketkeeper), Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Prabath Jayasuriya and Chamika Gunasekara.

Umpires: Chris Brown (NZL) and Michael Gough (ENG)

Television Umpire: Alex Wharf (ENG)

Match Referee: Chris Broad (ENG)