Retirement of Younis-Misbah will aid Sri Lanka, feels Dinesh Chandimal

With the 2-Test matches series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka about to kick off, the host team will be looking to stretch their winning streak further after their 2-1 victory against the World XI side, while the latter will be seeking to get back to winning ways. Lankan skipper, Dinesh Chandimal has termed the retirement of Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq as an “advantage” for his side ahead of the first Test. The first Test match starts on September 28 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.

Sri Lanka is currently justified on being an under-confident team, having encountered consecutive defeats at the hands of Zimbabwe and India, including a humiliating 9-0 whitewash against India. The Lankans will be touring UAE for an extensive series against Pakistan over a month. The series will comprise 2 Tests, 5 ODIs and 3 T20Is.

Chandimal feels absence of Younis-Misbah an advantage

The Sri Lankan skipper, speaking at the press conference in a trophy-unveiling ceremony said, “Misbah and Younis, both played great cricket throughout their careers, it is an advantage for the Sri Lanka that two strong players are not in Pakistani batting unit.”

Elaborating on the mindset of his team ahead of the awaited series, Chandimal said the Lankans need a win to set the wheels in motion, which would get them back into a winning rhythm. He added that they are looking at the bigger picture of the entire series, and not just fixated on a single match. When asked about Sri Lanka’s tour to Lahore, the captain said that the team has not yet discussed it as of yet.

On the other hand, Pakistani skipper, Sarfraz Ahmed in the press conference earlier said that the series will be a challenging one for his team and added, “I have learned a lot from Misbah and Younis. My team’s passion and hopes are high, we will certainly give a good performance.”