Sri Lankan batsmen need to play more sweep and reverse sweep shots against Indian spinners to negotiate the turn and bounce if they wish to save the ongoing second Test in Colombo.
Indian batsmen have done their homework and will not allow Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath to wreck them again at Galle, captain Virat Kohli said on the eve of the first Test between the neighbours on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka compensated for their batting failure with a disciplined bowling performance to beat United Arab Emirates by 14 runs in a round robin league encounter of the Asia Cup Twenty20, in Mirpur on Thursday.
Batsmen Mahela Jayawardene and Lahiru Thirimanne were named in Sri Lanka's 15-member squads for the Asia Cup and WorldT20 in Bangladesh next month following injury lay-offs, while strike spin bowler Rangana Herath was included subject to him proving his fitness.
It was an eighth ODI victory in a row for South Africa and an 11th win in succession at home as they showed form in the build-up to the Champions Trophy in England in June.
The Sri Lankan selectors, on Sunday, dropped batsman Kusal Mendis from their 15-member squad while Angelo Mathews returned to lead the side in the upcoming tour of India.
Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada claimed four wickets each as South Africa ripped out Sri Lanka for 110 on the second day of the second Test.
Bowlers gave India the upper hand as Sri Lanka were bowled out for a below-par 205 in their first innings against India after opting to bat on the first day of the second Test in Nagpur on Friday.
Pakistan's batting finally came good as they successfully chased down a competitive total posted by Sri Lanka to win by six wickets in an inconsequential final round robin league encounter of the Asia Cup Twenty20 cricket tournament in Mirpur on Friday. Batting first, Sri Lanka could manage a decent 150 for four, riding on a century opening stand between TM Dilshan and Dinesh Chandimal. In reply, Pakistan produced a collective batting performance to win the match in 19.2 overs. Umar Akmal (48 off 37 balls) and veteran Shoaib Malik (13 not out) added 56 runs in 6.1 overs to take Pakistan home. Akmal's innings had four boundaries and two huge sixes. Mohammed Hafeez (14) hit three boundaries before off-spinner Shehan Jayasuriya dismissed him off a delivery that stopped as the batsman failed to check his shot. Left-hander Sharjeel Khan hit five boundaries and a six, in his 31 off 25 balls as he added 35 quick runs for the second wicket with Sarfraz Ahmed (38).
K L Rahul broke into the top-10 at 9th, while Shikhar Dhawan also attained a career-high position of 28th in the latest ICC Test rankings after India's clean-sweep of Sri Lanka in a three-match series.
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between Sri Lanka and India in Colombo, on Thursday.
Marlon Samuels' unbeaten century proved in vain as Sri Lanka beat West Indies by 19 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method to complete a 3-0 one-day series whitewash on Saturday.
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between Sri Lanka and India in Galle, on Wednesday.
Niroshan Dickwella and Asela Gunaratne hit crucial half centuries to guide Sri Lanka to their highest-ever run chase as the hosts defeated Zimbabwe by four wickets on the final day of an intriguing one-off Test on Tuesday.
Captain Graeme Cremer picked up three wickets with his leg spin to help Zimbabwe reduce hosts Sri Lanka to 293 for seven at the end of the second day in their one-off Test at the R Premadasa Stadium on Saturday.
James Neesham did his World Cup chances no harm after 18 months out of the New Zealand side as he produced an all-around performance in their 45-run win over Sri Lanka in the first one-day international on Thursday.
Kohli's double ton was followed by a 50 in the second innings as he finished with 610 runs in the series, which India won 1-0 after the first and third Test ended in draws in Kolkata and New Delhi.
Statistical highlights of the fourth day's play of the third cricket Test between India and Sri Lanka in New Delhi on Tuesday
Lasith Malinga found himself thrust into the Sri Lankan captaincy midway through the World Twenty20 and emerged with the trophy in his arms on Sunday after three heady weeks in Bangladesh.
Sri Lanka lost early wickets in their second innings but extended their lead to 220 runs over Pakistan in the third and final Test in Sharjah to boost their chances of a series victory.
For all those who are likely to get a game, there will be just one target -- to make most of their chances as some of them might not get too many with just about 16 months left for the 50-overs World Cup.
Asad Shafiq's seventh hundred and a belligerent 96 from Sarfraz Ahmed helped give Pakistan a sizeable lead against Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the opening Test at Galle on Saturday.
Andre Fletcher produced a blinder of an innings, smashing 84 runs off only 64 balls, to power the West Indies to a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga struck his third Test century to help his team set Bangladesh a mammoth 457-run victory target on the penultimate day of the first Test on Friday.
South Africa have slipped to number six in the world, behind fifth-placed Sri Lanka, and have a host of questions to answer, not least around a brittle top six and the balance of the side.
The International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Unit has launched an investigation in Sri Lanka, world cricket's governing body said. The ICC did not give any details as to what the nature of their investigation entailed, only that ACU officers had recently visited the country.
Kumar Sangakkara completely changed the complexion of the second Test against New Zealand with an outstanding double century as the visitors finished the second day with a 113-run lead.
Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA) chief executive Tony Irish has advocated the use of educational programs to check the menace of ball-tampering in the game.
Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay will replace the injured Lasith Malinga in Sri Lanka's cricket squad for the ongoing ICC World Twenty20 in India.
Martin Guptill struck his third Test century while Kane Williamson fell just short his 13th as New Zealand blunted Sri Lanka's inexperienced bowling attack to set themselves up for a big total in the first Test in Dunedin on Thursday.
'We have seen the SLC statement, but are not privy to any information or intelligence report relating to safety of the SL team. The PCB reiterates its commitment to provide complete safety and security to the SL side and in this relation will continue to work with the SLC'
Captain Eoin Morgan smashed his second half-century in two games and Adil Rashid took four wickets to help England crush Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the rain-marred third One-Day International on Wednesday.
Pakistan Science and Technology Minister Fawad Hussain claimed that Sri Lankan cricket players opted out from the upcoming tour of Pakistan after India threatened them that they will be ousted from the Indian Premier League if they failed to do so.
Rajneesh Gupta presents some interesting numbers from the day's proceedings.
Images from Day 2 of the second Test between Sri Lanka and India in Colombo, on Friday.
Skipper Virat Kohli's magnificent 243 was overshadowed by unprecedented scenes of mask-wearing Sri Lankan players, who halted proceedings thrice, complaining of poor air quality, on Day 2 of the third Test, in New Delhi.
A row between Sri Lanka Cricket and its centrally contracted players, which had threatened to turn into a major crisis, ended on Sunday following talks, according to chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya.
England edged past Sri Lanka by 10 runs to reach the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi, on Saturday.
Sri Lanka batsman Kusal Perera and all-rounder Asela Gunaratne have returned to the one-day international squad for the three-match series against India, the country's cricket board said on Tuesday.
Rain forced the abandonment of the third one-day international between England and Sri Lanka on Sunday with the hosts' hopes of taking a 2-0 lead thwarted just four overs into their run chase at Bristol.
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