Hasan Debuts As Tigers Bowl In Second SL Test

By winning the toss Sri Lanka have elected to bat first in the second and final Test against Bangladesh at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.  Already Sri Lanka has collected 8 run of 3 balls without losing any wicket.  Premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan returned while pacer Hasan Mahmud has been handed his Test debut for the Tigers, who will be hoping to bounce back following a 328-run drubbing in the first Test in Sylhet. 

Shakib, who had been suffering from an eye problem and had opted out of the entire Sri Lanka series initially, is returning to red-ball cricket after almost a year. He last played in the Test against Ireland in Mirpur in April 2023. 

Bangladesh made two changes from the eleven that played in Sylhet. Hasan replaced pacer Shoriful Islam while young and exciting pacer Nahid Rana, who made a promising debut in Sylhet, had to be dropped to make way for Shakib. 

Hasan has already represented Bangladesh in 22 ODIs and 17 T20Is. 

With the Chattogram surface expected to aid the spinners more, Bangladesh went with three spinners and two pacers for the game. While Shakib will bolster the spin department, also including Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam, it will be Khaled Ahmed and Hasan who will form the Tigers' pace battery. 

Bangladesh will also be without head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, who travelled back to Australia for personal reasons. The Tigers's assistant coach Nic Pothas will be in charge of this game. 

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are missing pacer Kasun Rajitha, who injured his back in the Sylhet Test in which he took eight wickets. His replacement Asitha Fernando starts the game.  

Playing XIs: 

Bangladesh: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Shahadat Hossain, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud

Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Kamindu Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando