In another tweet, Akhtar said they expect reciprocation from Sri Lanka.
Images from the first Twenty20 International between India and Sri Lanka, in Dharamsala, on Saturday.
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne missed out on a maiden double hundred but his 238-run stand with fellow centurion Dinesh Chandimal set up Sri Lanka's first-innings total of 484 on day two against West Indies in the opening test at Galle on Thursday.
Pacer Lasith Malinga, who led Sri Lanka to the World Twenty20 title in Bangladesh, has been rewarded with the team's captaincy in the shortest format of the game, as struggling batsman Dinesh Chandimal got the axe, on Wednesday.
Virat Kohli would hope for a turnaround when India take on an under-prepared Sri Lanka in the second Test in Bengaluru
Trent Boult took two quick wickets after lunch to help New Zealand complete a 122-run victory over Sri Lanka on the fifth day of the first Test at University Oval in Dunedin on Monday.
Chasing 164 to win, opener Zak Crawley was dismissed in the second session before Dom Sibley and Jos Buttler took the hosts to victory.
In the first Test in Kolkata, Herath bowled only eight overs in seaming conditions, but was required to send down 39 overs in the only innings that India batted in Nagpur, after which he complained of back pain.
Jonny Bairstow and debutant Dan Lawrence knocked off the 36 runs required on Monday, the last day of the first Test.
There was disaster for the visitors when captain Joe Root (1), who scored a superb 228 in the first innings, was run out by a direct his from wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella to leave England teetering at 14 for three.
Sri Lanka were never going to chase 410, but did well enough to bat as many as 102 overs in the second innings, finishing at 299 for five before the captains mutually agreed to a draw.
Dom Bess claimed five wickets as England dismissed hosts Sri Lanka for 135
Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal dropped hints that unlike the five-pronged bowling attack, which yielded results against Pakistan in the humid conditions in the United Arab Emirates, he may revert to four-bowler theory against India.
The 36-year-old Fernando, who last played for Sri Lanka way back in 2012, was included in place of T20 captain Lasith Malinga, who is recuperating from an injury.
Lahiru Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal scored maiden Test hundreds as Sri Lanka took a strong grip of the first Test against Bangladesh on the second day.
India beat Sri Lanka by an innings and 239 runs in the second Test in Nagpur after the touring side were bundled out for 166 shortly after lunch on the fourth day.
Images from the third Twenty20 International between India and Sri Lanka, in Dharamsala, on Sunday.
India completed a 3-0 clean sweep of Sri Lanka with an innings and 171-run annihilation in the third and final Test, bringing to an early end to one of the most lopsided series in recent years.
Ben Foakes marked his Test debut with a century and impressed with his glovework, too, as England bowled out Sri Lanka for 203 before stretching their lead to 177 runs on the second day of the opening Test in Galle.
Chasing 279 for victory, Sri Lanka overcame Woakes's triple strikes to reach 140-5 in 29 overs when heavy rain stopped play and England won the match under the scoring method governing such rain-marred matches.
The visitors never got going as spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (4/67) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/56) along with comeback-man Ishant Sharma (3/37) shared the spoils.
Three Sri Lanka players and India's Ishant Sharma were found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct in two separate incidents during the penultimate day's play in the third Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
Joe Root returned to form with a fluent 93 to lead England to a crushing 122-run victory over Sri Lanka in the fifth and final one-day international in Cardiff on Saturday.
Harish Kotian/Rediff.com highlights what Virat Kohli needs to ponder about, after the Galle defeat
Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal also acknowledged Mendis and Mathews had saved the game for his side, who were dominated by New Zealand over the first three days.
Opener Dimuth Karunaratne frustrated West Indies with a patient unbeaten century to help Sri Lanka reach 250-2 on the opening day and stay on course for a big first innings total in the first Test at Galle on Wednesday.
Netherlands' Kingma gets four-match suspension for ball-tampering.
Fast bowler Mitchell Starc picked up his second five-wicket haul in the match to lead Australia to a comprehensive 366-run victory in the second Test against Sri Lanka and a 2-0 series win.
It may be Kumar Sangakkara's farewell game but the Indian team is all focused on previous match's centurion Dinesh Chandimal with leg-spinner Amit Mishra vowing not to allow a repeat show by the Sri Lanka batman in the second Test, starting in Colombo on Wednesday.
Taskin Ahmed became the fifth Bangladesh bowler to claim a one-day hat-trick before incessant rain washed out the second match of the series against Sri Lanka in Dambulla on Tuesday.
Root said that spinning tracks will throw challenges to the visiting team but they are adapting to the conditions quickly.
Also returning to the 15-man squad, which will also take part in the upcoming Asia Cup tournament before the March 8-April 3 World Twenty20, was all-rounder Angelo Mathews.
Paceman Dushmantha Chameera took career-best figures with aggressive short-pitched bowling to give Sri Lanka a slight advantage at the close of play on the second day of the second Test against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Saturday.
Kohli was at his aggressive best in the just-concluded second Test against Sri Lanka as he smashed a strokeful 213 off 267 balls to help India amass a huge first innings total.
Angelo Mathews made amends for missing a century in the first innings with a gritty unbeaten 116 in the second as Sri Lanka racked up a solid lead in the opening Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
Images from the World Cup Pool A match between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Sri Lanka will be sending middle order batsman Kithuruwan Vithanage and spinner Tharindu Kaushal as cover for the injured players ahead of the team's final round robin World Cup game against Scotland, scheduled to be played on March 11.
South Africa took 16 Sri Lanka wickets in a little over two sessions to secure a ruthless victory by an innings and 118 runs in the third and final Test at the Wanderers on Saturday.
Sri Lanka salvaged some pride after battering Pakistan by 165 runs in the fifth and final One-dayer at Hambantota on Sunday.
England picked up three early wickets as Sri Lanka struggled to 218 for six at lunch on the third day of the third and final Test at Lord's on Saturday.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances