Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood relied on Navid Nawaz experience to exploit the condition of Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the second Test against Bangladesh, starting on Monday.
Navid Nawaz who is the assistant coach of Sri Lanka now, worked in Bangladesh with the Bangladesh Under-19 team. Under his guidance the Under-19 team won the 2020 ICC Youth World Cup.
Silverwood however knows well that if they design their first XI which could complement the condition, there is great chance to win that game.
Therefore he emphasized on condition ahead of the second Test, which both of the sides want to win in a bid to win the series. The first Test in Chattogram ended in a draw after largely dominated by Bangladesh.
“We go through every ground's statistics. We look at what results have been here before, what the make-up of the bowling attack and batting line-up has been. We consider history, and then we will pick our team,” Silverwood said on Sunday.
“I haven’t seen this wicket but I do have someone who you all know, is in my coaching staff, who knows these conditions. I will speak to my assistant coach (Navid Nawaz) so that we fully understand how this wicket will play. We will be using his knowledge from his time in Bangladesh, and the statistics of this ground to make sure the captain has the best possible bowling attack to exploit the conditions.”
While Bangladesh spinners dazzled in Chattogram Test, Sri Lankan roared
through their pacers, specially Kasun Rajitha who came to as the concussion sub of Vishwa Fernando. Rajitah's excellent bowling created some chances to Sri Lanka also in the first Test.
Alongside Rajitha, Asitha Fernando also did well really. But since Mirpur has the reputation of being a rage turner, pacers role became impassive here.
“I thought Kasun and Asitha were excellent. I thought the way that they continued, the heart and fight that they showed, in what was a flat wicket, they were exceptional,” he said.
“I don’t think this is going to be an easy game at all. Both teams want to win this game. I think the last game was a close-fought contest. The momentum swung both ways, rapidly at times. Bangladesh had us on the ropes at times. We had to fight back hard to make sure that we got back into the game.”
