The International Cricket Council announced the three finalists for the ICC Player of the Month for May 2022. The veteran batter from Bangladesh, Mushfiqur Rahim, is one of the nominees for the coveted individual award. Sri Lankans Angelo Mathews and Asitha Fernando are the other two candidates. All three candidates had a great outing in the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Test series 2022 in the month of May. Let's take a look at how these players performed in the month of May. ICC Player of the Month for May 2022: Who has a Strong Chance of Winning the Award? Nominated players - Mushfiqur Rahim, Angelo Mathews and Asitha Fernando all had significant contributions to their respective teams in the recently concluded Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Test series 2022. Mushfiqur Rahim was the top performer for Bangladesh, while Angelo Mathews and Asitha Fernando played key roles in winning the series for Sri Lanka. Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh) Test: 2 | Runs: 303 | Ave: 151.50 | HS: 175* | 100s: 2 Mushfiqur Rahim made two centuries in the month of May during the Test series against Sri Lanka. Rahim completed his 5,000 Test runs during the first Test in Chattogram, becoming the first Bangladesh player to do so. He also made a hundred (105) and a 165-run partnership with Litton Das in the first innings of the first Test. Their effort helped the hosts to take a good first innings lead over the visitors. Read Shakib Al Hasan's Captaincy Record in Test Cricket: An Overview Mushfiqur also played an unbeaten 175*-run innings in the first innings of the second Test and, more importantly, his record-breaking 272-run stand with Litton Das for the sixth wicket helped Bangladesh to make a strong comeback in the first innings. Bangladesh lost the series 1-0 to Sri Lanka, so Mushfiqur's chance of winning the award is slimmer than the other two nominees because of that. Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka) Test: 2 | Runs: 344 | Ave: 172.00 | HS: 199 | 100s: 2 Angelo Mathews had a magnificent Test series against Bangladesh last month. He played a brilliant 199-run knock in the first innings of the first Test, which helped Sri Lanka put up a commendable total. However, Mathews's contribution in the second Test is even better. His 199-run partnership with Dinesh Chandimal on the sixth wicket helped Sri Lanka to take more than a 100-run lead over Bangladesh in the first innings of the series-decider match. Mathews was unbeaten with 145* runs. Sri Lanka went on to win the match by 10 wickets. Read ENG vs NZ First Test 2022: England Seize Control of Series Opening Match The experienced Angelo Mathews was the heart of the Lankan batting line-up in the Bangladesh series, and it was thanks to his contributions with the bat that they were able to defeat the hosts. Therefore, Mathews is the big favourite to win the award. Asitha Fernando (Sri Lanka) Test: 2 | Wkts: 13 | Ave: 16.61 | BBI: 6/51 | 5W: 1 Asitha Fernando stunned everyone by showing discipline and an effective bowling performance against Bangladesh in the Test series. Fernando had shown his talent by picking up three wickets in the first match, but it was his performance in the second Test that caught the eyes of everyone. Read Joe Root Reaches 10,000 Runs Milestone as England win First Test Against New Zealand In the first innings of the second match, Asitha and Kasun dismantled Bangladesh's batting order by picking up 9 wickets between them, with Asitha taking four of them. Asitha was even more destructive in the second innings, picking up 6 wickets and helping his team bowl Bangladesh out for only 169 runs. The target was only 29 for the Lankans, which they comfortably chased down without losing a wicket. Asitha Fernando is a strong contender for the award. Verdict The three players nominated for the ICC Player of the Month for May 2022 are all deserving candidates. Angelo Mathews, who was the most impactful player in the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka series, seems to have a better chance of winning it. Mathews was the winner of the Player of the Series award, which may give him an edge over other nominees. Asitha Fernando, who was the most troublesome bowler for Bangladesh's batting line-up, also has a strong chance to win the award. Mushfiqur Rahim was Bangladesh's best player during the Sri Lanka series. It won't come as a surprise if Mushfiqur outbids the other two for this honor.  Read Tamim, Siddons among group off to West Indies tonight

Bangladesh had a chance to win a Test match against Sri Lanka at home for the first time since the visitors sent an inexperienced squad. However, Bangladesh failed to capitalize on their home ground advantage and lost the BAN vs SL series 1-0 to Sri Lanka. Overall, Bangladesh lost their tenth bilateral Test series to Sri Lanka. The series served as a wake-up call for the BCB to take the necessary steps to improve Test cricket. Here are the five major findings from the Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Test series 2022. Major Takeaways from the 2022 Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Test Series Bangladesh’s Test series loss to Sri Lanka was unexpected as most the cricket pundits were convinced that the hosts had a decent chance against an inexperienced visiting side. Sri Lanka had a fresh pace bowling attack, but the spinners were not experienced enough. Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal were not in great form before touring Bangladesh. All these were positives for the hosts, but when it came to actual battle, the Lankans executed their game plans properly during the contest and deservedly sealed the series. Let’s take a look at five significant findings in the Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Test series 2022. Read Dhaka Test: Bangladesh capitulate as Sri Lanka win series Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal still have a lot to offer the Sri Lankan national side Both Mathews and Chandimal were not in great form before the Test series. However, they stepped up and made a difference for the Lankan side. Mathews was the top scorer in the series with 344 runs and deservedly won the player of the series award. His 199-run knock in the first innings of the first Test was the best in the series. Besides, he also hammered an unbeaten 145* in the first innings of the second Test.  Chandimal, on the other hand, played three crucial innings in the series. He formed two crucial partnerships with Angelo Mathews in both matches. His unbeaten 99*-run stand with Niroshan Dickwella in the second innings of the first Test helped Sri Lanka to save the match. Undoubtedly, these two Lankan veterans helped Sri Lanka to clinch the series and silenced their critics who thought they had nothing more to give to the national side.  Read Shakib hits quick fifty as Bangladesh rebuild Sri Lanka have some talented Pacers Prior to the series, no one had thought that Lankan pacers Asitha Fernando and Kasun Rajitha would finish on top of the most wicket-takers chart in the series. Bangladesh's conditions heavily favour the slower bowlers and it was expected that the spinners would rule over the batters. However, the Lankan pacers stunned everyone by picking up virtually every wicket in Bangladesh. These two pacers took 24 out of 29 wickets for Bangladesh. Asitha Fernando finished top of the most wicket-takers chart with 13, while Kasun Rajitha bagged 11 wickets. Their brilliant performances with the ball are a pleasant thing for the Lankan selectors. Mushfiqur Rahim is still Mr. Dependable Mushfiqur Rahim was criticized for not being consistent since the T20 World Cup 2021. His barren run with the bat continued till the end of the South Africa tour. However, Mushfiqur made a brilliant comeback in the Sri Lanka series. He hammered two back-to-back hundreds and became the first Bangladesh player to score 5,000 Test runs. With two brilliant knocks, Mushfiqur proved again that form is temporary but class is permanent. Mushfiqur Rahim is still Mr. Dependable for Bangladesh. Read Bangladesh's top-order fail yet again Litton Das is the best Test batter in Bangladesh Litton Kumer Das has been in outstanding form since 2021. The right-hand batter has been among the top three run-scorers in Tests since last year. He continued his great run of form in the Sri Lanka series as well. Litton made 281 runs in the series, with one century and two half-centuries. With the current form Litton Das has, he is surely the best Test batter for Bangladesh at the moment. Bangladesh have yet to learn the mantra of success in the longer-version format The BCB is trying hard to formulate the best Test side for Bangladesh. The Cricket Board has already taken some steps to improve the country’s longer-version of cricket. However, it is often seen that Bangladesh choke or run out of energy at the crucial stages of a Test match despite being in a good position. Bangladesh need to develop their mental and physical strengths in order to get the desired results in the longer-version format. Read Rajasthan vs Bangalore: Who will Face Gujarat in IPL 2022 Final? Way Forward  The Sri Lanka team has once again shown that Test cricket is not for everyone. It's a game for the elite, and Bangladesh are far from being one, at least for the time being. Bangladesh had more experience and strength than Sri Lanka. However, the Lankans defeated the Tigers in both Tests in the Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Test series 2022. They had shown everyone how to respond in critical situations. Bangladesh simply couldn't handle the expectations and choked at critical moments in the BAN vs SL series. In other words, they haven't developed enough in the Test format to be able to defeat a formidable opponent. The BCB must put more emphasis on player development in the longer format of cricket to achieve the desired outcome. Read Mushfiqur, the world's best Test scorer!

The second session of day 3 of the BAN vs SL second Test 2022 was rained out. Both teams must approach the game with an aggressive mindset if they want to win the contest. If not, the game will most likely finish in a disappointing draw. Prior to the rain, Sri Lanka scored 210/4 in response to Bangladesh's 365. With only two days remaining in the match, Bangladesh must bat aggressively in their second innings in their quest to clinch the series. The BAN vs SL Second Test Match Scenario Bangladesh got off to a bad start in the series-deciding Test at SBNCS in Dhaka, losing five wickets for 24 runs. The hosts were guided to a dominant total of 365 owing to Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das's stunning 272-run sixth-wicket partnership. Litton Das’s great run of form in Test cricket has continued as 141 runs came from his willow. It was Litton’s sixth fifty-plus score in 13 innings, which clearly indicates that he is enjoying the format at the moment. On the other hand, Mushfiqur Rahim was unbeaten with 175*. Read Litton Das: The Classical Bangladeshi Batter Discovers Rhythm in Test Cricket The biggest surprise in the first innings was the performance of the Sri Lankan pacers. Both Kasun Rajitha and Asitha Fernando were brilliant with the ball. They picked up 9 wickets, while the other one was run out. None of the Lankan spinners got a wicket in the innings. Trailing by 365 runs, the Sri Lankan openers made an aggressive start by putting up a 95-run partnership at 3.65 economy rates. Their positive mindset forced Bangladesh on the defense. However, Bangladesh did take a couple of wickets as Sri Lanka closed day-1 on 143/2. Bangladesh bowled 24.1 overs in the morning session of Day 3 before the rain interrupted the play. They lost two more wickets for a total of 67 runs. Bangladesh bowlers were economical and focused on making the Sri Lankan batters work even harder. However, the second session was totally abandoned due to heavy rain. Read BAN vs SL Second Test 2022: Mushfiqur-Litton Partnership Evaluation in Records Book What should be Bangladesh's approach in the third innings? With two more days left in the contest, Bangladesh's team management should reflect the scenario properly before it’s too late. The hosts need to adopt a more aggressive approach in order to overcome the visitors on day 4. Players need to raise their performance level on the field and have to show urgency to bowl Sri Lanka out as early as possible. They also can't afford to be in a position where they could lose the battle. Sri Lanka will bat for how long? What will their ultimate score be at the end of the first innings? This will help Bangladesh in formulating a strategy for the third innings. One thing is certain: they will need to bat aggressively in order to set a challenging target for the Lankans. Furthermore, the number of overs Sri Lanka bats in the fourth innings will determine the final outcome of the BAN vs SL second Test 2022 match. In the present match conditions, it's crucial to know the Bangladesh team's performance record in the third innings at the SBNCS, Mirpur. Bangladesh have batted eleven times in the third innings at this venue, with their best total of 312 coming against India in 2010. It was also the only occasion Bangladesh scored more than 300 runs in the third innings at Sher-e-Bangla. Bangladesh also failed to score more than 200 runs only once, against South Africa in 2008. They were all-out for 182 runs in that encounter against the Proteas national team. Read IPL 2022: The Qualified Teams in the Playoffs and Fixtures Bangladesh's top five third-innings total at SBNCS, Mirpur Score Overs Opposition Year 312 90.3 India 2010 296 66.5 England 2016 285 102 England 2010 269/3 89 New Zealand 2013 253 57.3 India 2007    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Bottom Line Bangladesh have never beaten Sri Lanka at home. Therefore, they have a great chance to beat the Lankans and win the series. Given the present scenario of the match, Bangladesh should adopt a positive mindset when they bat again in their second innings. Because playing safe would not put them in a position to win against Sri Lanka. However, the BAN vs SL Second Test 2022 will likely go down to the wire. Read BAN vs SL Series 2022: Statistics Favour Spinners to be Game Changers in the Mirpur Test

Bangladesh had a difficult start against Sri Lanka in the first innings of the BAN vs SL Second Test 2022 at SBNCS, Mirpur. They lost five wickets in the first hour of the first session on day one, putting the team in a terrible position. Then, Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das collaborated on a stunning 272-run sixth-wicket partnership to help the Tigers make a remarkable comeback in the innings. Bangladesh finally scored 365 in their first innings, which would not have been possible without Mushfiqur and Litton's outstanding contributions. Highlights of the Mushfiqur-Litton Partnership Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim opted to bat first in the BAN vs SL Second Test 2022 on a surface where batters could flourish for at least the first two days. It is said that batters should see out the first hour of the morning session in Test cricket. Pace bowlers usually get a little more support from the pitch in the morning, allowing them to put pressure on batters if they maintain good line and length. The Lankan bowlers did just that to Bangladesh's batters. They bowled in the right channels and took advantage of the pitch's extra swing. However, Bangladesh's batters didn't confront Lankan pacers adequately, and they should be held responsible for losing half of their wickets in the first hour of the morning session. Read Dhaka Test: Sri Lanka trail by 222 after day 2 When Bangladesh were down to 24/5 at the end of the 6.5 overs, there was a risk of breaking their lowest-ever total – 43 records. The Lankan pacers were in perfect rhythm to do so. However, a monumental stand between Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das rescued Bangladesh from what could possibly be an embarrassing moment in front of home crowds. Mushfiqur Rahim had focused on being steady at the crease by not taking any risks, whilst Litton Das was more aggressive. Litton did get a life soon after lunch When he was on 47. Fielder dropped his catch in the square leg region. Litton then began to attack the opposition bowlers, quickly completing his fifty. Oppositely, Mushfiqur Rahim was determined not to lose his wicket as he steadily constructed his innings. Both batters had reached their hundred after Tea. Litton was the first to reach the century mark, scoring his third Test hundred in 149 balls. After a few overs, Mushfiqur Rahim hit his ninth Test century in 218 balls. Bangladesh ended the first day with 277/5 runs on the board. Litton Das 135 and Mushfiqur Rahim 115 went undefeated on day one at the crease. Read Dhaka Test: Bangladesh end first innings on 365 The pair also added 19 runs together in the first session of day 2 before Litton Das (141) lost his wicket to Kasun Rajitha in the first ball of the eight overs. Litton hit 16 boundaries and a six in his innings and had a 57.31 strike rate. On the other hand, Mushfiqur Rahim stayed undefeated on 175* with 21 boundaries. This long-standing 272 runs off 513 balls partnership not only helped the team avoid an embarrassing moment, but also helped them to reach a respectable total of 365. The record-breaking Mushfiqur-Litton partnership Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das put together a stunning and crucial 272-run partnership for the sixth wicket. They produced several interesting records as a result of their partnership. Here are a few of them. 1)      This was the best-ever stand for the sixth wicket for Bangladesh. The previous best was 191 between Mohammad Ashraful and Mushfiqur Rahim back in 2007 against Sri Lanka. Read Day 2 of Dhaka Test: Liton, Mosaddek depart early  The top five best sixth-wicket partnerships for Bangladesh Partners Runs Opposition Ground Year Litton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim 272 Sri Lanka Mirpur 2022 Mohammad Ashraful and Mushfiqur Rahim 191 Sri Lanka Colombo 2007 Junaid Siddique and Mushfiqur Rahim 167 England Chattogram 2010 Nasir Hossain and Shakib Al Hasan 144 West Indies Khulna 2012 Mushfiqur Rahim and Nasir Hasan 117 Pakistan Mirpur 2011         Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ 2)      While constructing the 272-run big partnership, Litton and Mushfiqur faced a total of 513 balls. This was the third most in terms of balls faced for Bangladesh. Read Mushfiqur, Liton stand tall after disastrous start The top five partnerships in terms of balls faced for Bangladesh Partners Runs Balls Opposition Ground Year Mohammad Ashraful and Mushfiqur Rahim 267 518 Sri Lanka Galle 2013 Mominul Haque and Najmul Hossain Shanto 242 514 Sri Lanka Pallekele 2021 Litton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim 272 512 Sri Lanka Mirpur 2022 Javed Omar and Nafees Iqbal 133 498 Zimbabwe Dhaka 2005 Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan 359 494 New Zealand Wellington 2017    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ 3)      Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das had a 272-run partnership which is the third best in Bangladesh Test cricket history. Read IPL 2022: The Qualified Teams in the Playoffs and Fixtures Top Five Partnerships for Bangladesh  Partners Runs Wkts Opposition Ground Year Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim 359 5th New Zealand Wellington 2017 Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes 312 1st Pakistan Khulna 2015 Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das 272 6th Sri Lanka Mirpur 2022 Mohammad Ashraful and Mushfiqur Rahim 267 5th Sri Lanka Galle 2013 Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim 266 4th Zimbabwe Mirpur 2018           Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Mushfiqur smashes another ton vs Sri Lanka Aftermath Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das' performances during the first innings of the match were undoubtedly among the finest in Bangladesh Test cricket history. It's also considered one of the greatest comebacks, since scoring 365 after falling to 24/5 wasn't straightforward. Both players showed commitment and courage in their innings, which paid off handsomely. Moreover, this could be a match-saving partnership depending on the outcome of the BAN vs SL Second Test 2022.

There's a saying that statistics don't always paint the best image. Though it has become standard practice nowadays to analyze the statistics before a game and plan accordingly. The second Test of the BAN vs SL series 2022 started on Monday (May 23) at Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla stadium. The statistics on this surface heavily favour spinners. Therefore, slower bowlers will play an important role in this encounter. Let's take a look at the Mirpur ground's bowling statistics in Test format. SBNCS, Mirpur: What Do the Stats Say? While not all of the data will appear to be true in every match, knowing the history of the venue is essential for teams to develop a game plan. Bowlers play a critical role in winning Test matches. As the saying goes, bowlers win games for their teams. A team must take 20 wickets to win a match; thus, wicket-taking bowlers are essential. The ground stats are generally evaluated by the team while developing a game strategy. Which bowlers are best under these conditions? How does the pitch perform on the ground each day? What are the most successful bowlers on the ground? This sort of information assists a team in establishing a starting lineup for the match. Let's get right into the Mirpur ground stats. Read BAN vs SL Second Test 2022: Bangladesh Target Historic Series Win Sher-e-Bangla Stadium’s Bowling Stats in Test Format In the case of Sher-e-Bangla stadium, the spinners always get a special advantage from the surface. Slower bowlers enjoy bowling at this venue because of the sluggish nature of the pitches, whether it is T20 cricket, One-Day cricket, or a longer-version format. In Test cricket, spinners are a terrorizing factor for the batters. Spinners have found more grip and assistance from the surface in the last two days, making batters even more nervous. One can easily understand this by looking into the man of the match awards list in the Test format. Spinners have won more than 50% of the player of the match awards in the longer-version of cricket at the SBNCS. 12 man of the match awards were won by spinners, batters won 6, while pace bowlers won 4 of them. Now the question may arise, why do the spinners dominate the best player awards at the Mirpur ground? To know the answer to it, one has to look at the overall bowling stats and how each type of bowler has fared on this ground. Read Early wickets dent Bangladesh in Dhaka Test Overall bowling stats at the SBNCS (as on May 22, 2022) Players Match Innings Wickets BBI BBM Ave Econ 10W 253 22 441 646 8/39 12/117 32.41 3.21 6    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ The Spinners Overall Performance at the SBNCS When spinners have taken 403 wickets out of 646, it clearly indicates that they dominate heavily at this venue. Prior to the second Test of the BAN vs SL series in 2022, spinners had taken almost 63% of wickets. This figure is enough to incite both teams to include more spinners in their playing XI. Besides, the number of spinners that have been used is more than the pacers. A total of 127 spinners have been used and bowled close to 4,000 overs in 22 matches. Besides, the economy rate is 3.14 for the spinner, which is much better than the pacers. The most successful spinner at this ground is Shakib Al Hasan, who has taken 63 wickets in 30 innings with an average of 32.03. Read Bangladesh opt to bat first in Dhaka Test vs Sri Lanka The overall bowling stats of the spinners at SBNCS (as on May 22, 2022) Players Match Innings Wickets BBI BBM Ave Econ 10W 127 22 252 403 8/39 12/117 31.09 3.14 5    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ The Pacers Overall Performance at the SBNCS One of the reasons fast bowlers haven’t been as impressive as the spinners at the Mirpur ground is that Bangladesh is a predominantly spin-reliant country. They have plenty more options in spin bowling than in pace bowling. However, things have improved over the last 2-3 years. Bangladesh has recently produced some quality pacers who have performed well on the international stage. The expectation is that the pacers will also be as dominant as the spinners at this venue in the future. Overall, 94 pacers have been used at this venue and they have maintained an economy rate of less than 3.50, which is good. The Pacers have also bowled significantly fewer overs than the spinners. They have bowled just over 2,500 overs. The most successful pacer at this ground is India’s Zaheer Khan, who picked up 17 wickets in just two matches with an average of 13.94. Read Anamul’s hard work pays off as squads for WI tour announced The overall bowling stats of the fast bowlers at SBNCS (as on May 22, 2022) Players Match Innings Wickets BBI BBM Ave Econ 10W 94 22 185 243 7/87 10/149 34.54 3.32 1    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Aftermath  According to the overall bowling statistics in the Test format, the spinners obviously rule at the SBNCS, Mirpur. They will be much more effective in the last two days when batsmen will find it difficult to survive the pitch. Having said that, the pacers will also play a role in providing the necessary breakthroughs. However, the battle between spinners and batters in the second Test of the BAN vs SL series 2022 will be fascinating to witness.  Read Mominul eyes series win as Dhaka Test begins Monday

The Sher-e-Bangla cricket stadium will host the second match of the ongoing Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Test series. After the first match ended in a draw, the BAN vs SL 2nd Test 2022 is expected to be a tense affair. The series will be determined by the outcome of the Mirpur match. Bangladesh have never won a Test series against Sri Lanka at home, therefore this will be a golden opportunity for them. Let's take a look at the second Test match preview. 2022 Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Second Test: Match Preview The series' second match will be played at the SBNCS in Dhaka, with a 10 a.m. start time (Bangladesh Start Time). The Mirpur stadium is known for its sluggish pitch, which helps spinners from the start, especially in the longer version of cricket. One can imagine how difficult a pitch may become for batters on days 4 to 5. This pitch has seen some memorable encounters, with two of Bangladesh's biggest Test triumphs happening here. This ground has also seen most of Bangladesh's Test triumphs. As a result, the Bangladesh team should be optimistic heading into the BAN vs SL second Test 2022. Read Mushfiqur to skip West Indies series to perform hajj Bangladesh Bangladesh's top three Test run scorers, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, and Shakib Al Hasan are the only players to have scored over 1,000 Test runs at this venue. These players know how to score big on Mirpur's surfaces, and the good news is that they will all be available for the second Test. Top five most Test run scorers at SBNCS, Mirpur Player Innings Runs HS Ave 100s Shakib Al Hasan 33 1409 144 45.45 1 Mushfiqur Rahim 37 1302 219* 40.68 2 Tamim Iqbal 33 1260 151 38.18 2 Mominul Haque 21 883 161 44.15 3 Mahmudullah Riyad 20 796 136 44.22 2    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Sri Lanka hold firm to end Chattogram Test in a draw Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul Islam will have to shoulder the most of the burden in bowling, as both off-spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Nayeem Hasan will be unavailable due to injury. The good news is that Shakib and Taijul are two of the most prolific wicket-takers at this arena, and they may be a nightmare for the Lankans. Ebadot Hossain and Khaled Ahmed will have to demonstrate some talent and consistency with the ball because Shoriful Islam will not be playing. Top five most Test wicket-takers at SBNCS, Mirpur Player Innings Wickets BBI Ave 5W Shakib Al Hasan 30 63 6/59 32.03 7 Taijul Islam 19 54 8/39 23.59 2 Mehidy Hasan Miraz 13 41 7/58 17.92 5 Zaheer Khan 4 17 7/87 13.94 2 Shahadat Hossain 16 16 6/27 50.12 1     Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read BAN vs SL First Test 2022: Four key Takeaways for Bangladesh Predicted playing XI Top Order: Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Middle-Orders: Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (Wicket-Keeper), Mosaddek Hossain, Lower-Order: Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Sri Lanka The experienced Angelo Mathews produced a superb knock in the first Test. His 199-run innings aided Sri Lanka's first-innings total. On the other hand, Dinesh Chandimal had a strong showing in the first Test, playing two crucial knocks in the match. These two players, as well as captain Dimuth Karunaratne, will be crucial for Sri Lanka's batting order. The Lankan team will be hoping for responsible batting in their second innings, which could be difficult on Mirpur's surface. The Pacers Kasun Rajitha and Asitha Fernando did well with the ball in the first Test. Kasun claimed four wickets, while Asitha captured three. The management of the Sri Lankan team will be expecting another strong performance from them in the series decider. On the other hand, spinners had a difficult time in the opening match at Chattogram. They were all cost-effective, but they didn't obtain enough wickets. Perhaps Bangladesh batters were wary of them. Though, these three spinners may be lethal on SBNCS wicket. Their performance will be crucial to the Sri Lankan campaign.  Read IPL 2022: Who will make the playoffs from Delhi and Bangalore? Predicted Playing XI Top Order: Dimuth Karunaratne, Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Middle-Orders: Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Ramesh Mendis, Lower-Order: Asitha Fernando, Lasith Embuldeniya, Vishwa Fernando Pitch Report and Weather Forecast According to weather reports, rain and thunderstorms are forecast for the first two days of the match. On the other hand, the following three days are expected to be bright and suitable for cricket matches. The SBNCS, Mirpur, is great for spinners, particularly in the latter two days. Therefore, there will be a lot of spin bowling during the contest. The toss-winning captain is likely to bat first to put pressure on the opponent. Bottom Line Bangladesh have a fantastic opportunity to win a Test series against Sri Lanka for the first time. As a result, Bangladesh should enter the field with the goal of winning the BAN vs SL 2nd Test 2022. They were unable to create a substantial advantage in the first innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Chattogram due to their defensive approach. Overall, the hosts have enough strength to defeat the visitors. So, they should be able to win both the match and the series against Sri Lanka if Bangladesh can execute their game plan well on the field. Read 5000 Test Runs: Foremost Cricketers to Reach the Milestone From Respective Teams

The ZACS Chattogram surface was suitable for batters for the first four days, and it was predicted before the BAN vs SL first Test 2022. The spinners found a groove from the last session of day 4 to the end of day 5. The first Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka ended in a draw, with little excitement among neutral supporters. However, fans in Bangladesh celebrated Mushfiqur Rahim's achievement of becoming the country's first player to surpass 5,000 Test runs. Here are five major takeaways for Bangladesh from the first match. First Test Match Report: BAN vs SL Series 2022   Sri Lanka understandably opted to bat first in the first Test in Chattogram, and they made 397 runs. Veteran Angelo Mathews was the top scorer for Sri Lanka, who guided the innings by playing a 199-run knock. Besides, Kusal Mendis (54) and Dinesh Chandimal (66) also had good contributions with the bat. Off-spinner Nayeem Hasan picked up six wickets for the hosts. In reply, Bangladesh were all-out for 465 in the third session of day 4. Tamim Iqbal (133), and Mushfiqur Rahim (105) both scored centuries. It was a special match for Mushfiqur as he reached his 5,000 Test runs milestone. Apart from them, Mahmudul Hasan Joy (58) and Litton Das (88) made two valuable contributions with the bat for the Tigers. Medium-pacer Kasun Rajitha picked up the highest 4 wickets for the Lankan side. Bangladesh did manage to pick up a couple of wickets before the end of day 4 and four more wickets in the second session of day 5. However, an unbeaten 99*-run partnership between Dinesh Chandimal (39) and Niroshan Dickwella (61) saved the match for the visitors. Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne (52) also made a fifty for his side. In Sri Lanka's second innings, left-arm orthodox spinner Taijul Islam bagged four wickets for Bangladesh. Angelo Mathews won the Player of the Match award for his outstanding contribution with the bat in the first innings. Major Outcomes for Bangladesh from the First Test of the Series The series-opening match against Sri Lanka produced some notable outcomes for Bangladesh. The majority of the discussion topics revolve around batting since the batters dominated most of the contest. Read: Shoriful ruled out of second Test vs Sri Lanka Mushfiqur Rahim Hits the 5000 Test Runs Milestone Bangladesh’s big takeaway from the match was Mushfiqur Rahim’s 5,000 runs milestone in the Test format. He became the first Bangladeshi player to achieve the feat by scoring 105 runs in the first innings of Bangladesh. Though Tamim had a chance to reach the landmark before Mushfiqur, he retired hurt on 133 due to a muscle strain. At that moment, Tamim was 19 runs away from scoring his 5,000 Test runs. Mushfiqur Rahim was under pressure prior to this series for not being able to play to his full potential. He was even warned by BCB's president that the selectors may consider dropping Mushfiqur if his barren run with the bat continues. So, it was a perfect response by Bangladesh’s most dependable batter. Overall, Mushfiqur Rahim has scored 5,037 runs in 81 matches with an average of 36.76. In Tests, he has a total of 825 fifties. Top five most runs for Bangladesh in Tests Player Match Runs HS Ave 100s Mushfiqur Rahim 81 5,037 219* 36.76 8 Tamim Iqbal 66 4,981 206 40.16 10 Shakib Al Hasan 60 4,055 217 39.36 5 Mominul Haque 52 3,516 181 39.06 11 Habibul Bashar 50 3,026 113 30.87 3     Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Tamim Iqbal’s Aggressive Hundred Tamim made 133 off 218 balls in Bangladesh's first innings, striking the ball at a rate of 61. It was his 10th Test century and 25 overall. Tamim Iqbal has changed his batting style in the longer-version format in recent years. He is now more aggressive than he used to be and always tries to attack the opposition bowling attack. That is why Tamim’s strike rate over the last five years has been one of the best in the world. He has had the third-best strike rate among the openers (minimum 10 innings) in the Test format since 2017. Top five best strike rates by the openers since 2017 (at least 10 innings)  Player Innings Runs Strike Rates HS 100s Shikhar Dhawan (India) 19 851 83.75 190 3 Kusal Perera (Sri Lanka) 14 307 65.73 64 0 Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh) 41 1593 64.07 133 2 David Warner (Australia) 63 2660 61.50 335* 7 Aiden Markram (South Africa) 53 1900 59.33 152 5    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Nayeem Hasan has the potential to replace Mehidy Hasan Miraz Nayeem Hasan had a great outing in this match, coming on to replace the injured Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The off-spinner made his Test debut almost four years ago against the West Indies in 2018. Since then, he has taken 31 wickets in 8 matches, including his career-best 6/105 against Sri Lanka in the first innings of the first Test in Chattogram. Nayeem’s bowling in the first innings was sparkling and caused real trouble for the Lankan batters. More importantly, most of his wickets were crucial. After this strong showing with the ball, Nayeem has definitely established a genuine case for himself with the selectors to consider him regularly for the longer-version format. If not, he should be the first choice if Mehidy Miraz falls victim to any injury in the future. Read: Chattogram Test: Bangladesh in driving seat Bangladesh's defensive batting strategy on the fourth day Since the pitch was suited to the batters, it was anticipated that runs would score in the first match. Expectedly, the batters did flourish from day 1 to day 4, as 901 runs had been scored for the loss of 22 wickets, averaging 225.25 runs per day. However, the run rate came down to 2.58 on day 4, which indicates players took a cautious approach to their batting. Since Bangladesh batted the whole day on day four, except for the last 17 overs, the blame should go to the home side in case of lower run rates. Mushfiqur Rahim, who was praised for reaching his 5,000 Test runs milestone on that particular day, was the main culprit for low run rates. Rahim had to play 285 balls for his 105 runs on a relatively very good batting surface. One can argue that the Bangladesh team should blame themselves for not creating a winning situation because of their defensive batting approach. Aftermath Bangladesh played safe and earned a draw in the BAN vs SL first Test 2022. The Tigers' team campaign had set the expectation that they would strive for a win against a relatively inexperienced Lankan side. However, Bangladesh did not appear worried about winning the match at any stage throughout the game. They took a defensive approach and got the outcome they wanted. Bangladesh should adjust its strategy for the second Test in Dhaka. The pitches at Mirpur would be more favorable to spinners, therefore the match should produce a result. 

For over 15 years, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim have been representing Bangladesh's national team in all formats. Their contribution to elevating Bangladesh cricket to new heights is unparalleled. These two are Bangladesh's highest run scorers on the international stage. They are regularly passing each other on the leaderboard of most run getters. These two veterans have the chance to attain special milestones in the ongoing BAN vs SL Series 2022. So, what exactly is this great milestone? Approaching milestones for Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim have a long list of international records and honors. These two seasoned cricketers are on the verge of accomplishing historic feats, which they hope to attain during the BAN vs SL Series 2022. Five Thousand Runs in Test Cricket Middle-order batter Mushfiqur Rahim is currently leading the most Test run scorers chart for Bangladesh with 4,932 runs. He is only 68 runs away from becoming the first Bangladesh player to score 5,000 runs in the Test format. Scoring five thousand Test runs is always a special achievement, which shows the amount of time a player has played the longer-version of cricket. Read Where to Watch BAN vs SL Test Series 2022 Live Streaming from Bangladesh? Mushfiqur made his Test debut against England in May 2005. His highest Test innings is 219 against Zimbabwe in 2018. He is the only Bangladesh batter to have three double hundreds in Tests. Mushfiqur is undoubtedly hoping to reach the milestone in the first match of the BAN vs SL series 2022. On the other hand, the left-hand opener, Tamim Iqbal is in the second position on the most Test run scorers chart for Bangladesh with 4,848 runs. He needs 152 runs to hit the 5,000-run mark in the longer-version format. Tamim Iqbal played his debut Test match away from home against New Zealand in 2008. His best Test innings is 206 against Pakistan. Both players can attain this unique feat in the ongoing first Test at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. However, the most intriguing factor is who will become the first Bangladeshi to reach the 5,000-run mark in Test cricket. Tamim Iqbal, as an opener, will get an edge over Mushfiqur Rahim. But Mushfiqur can capitalize on an opportunity if Tamim fails with the bat in the first innings. Regardless of who becomes the first player to reach the milestone, both are likely to celebrate their unique achievements at the end of this Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka bilateral Test series. Read BAN vs SL 2022: Bangladesh eye to win the first Test against Sri Lanka Bangladesh's top five run scorers in Tests Player Innings Runs HS Ave 100s Mushfiqur Rahim 148 4,932 219* 36.26 7 Tamim Iqbal 125 4,848 206 39.41 9 Shakib Al Hasan 109 4,029 217 39.50 5 Mominul Haque 95 3,514 181 39.48 11 Habibul Bashar 99 3,026 113 30.87 3    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds dies in road crash Bottom Line  Both Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim are crucial for Bangladesh in the BAN vs SL Series 2022. They both have a unique role to play in the contest, which might have a significant effect on the series' outcome. Besides, the opportunity to achieve 5,000 runs in the Test format will surely inspire them to do even better in this bilateral series.

The Bangladesh team will take on Sri Lanka on Sunday for the first of a two-match Test series. The Tigers have never defeated the Lankan team in a home Test match. Bangladesh’s only Test victory against Sri Lanka came in 2017 at the P Sara Oval away from home. Besides, they have never won a longer-version series against the Lankans. In that context, the BAN vs SL first Test 2022 will be crucial for the hosts to create history against the Lankans. Oppositely, the visitors will be hoping to start the series with a victory as the outcome of each match will have a significant impact on their ICC’s World Test Championship points standings. The first match preview is discussed in this article. Read Shakib to play first Test vs Sri Lanka The First Test Match Preview: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka The first match of the series will be held at the ZACS, Chattogram, and the scheduled start time is 10 a.m. (Bangladesh Start Time). This is known for its relatively good ground for the batters in comparison to other venues in Bangladesh. The batters will likely have a good time in the middle, especially in the first three days. This ground saw one of the most successful run chases in Test cricket last year during the Bangladesh vs West Indies match. The Windies pulled off a magnificent victory over Bangladesh on the third session of day five. This amazing stat indicates that batters can find a way to play long innings even in the last two days at Chattogram’s ZACS ground. Read Where to Watch BAN vs SL Test Series 2022 Live Streaming from Bangladesh? Top Five Highest fourth innings totals (successful run chases) Team Opposition Score Ground Year West Indies Australia 418/7 St John's, Antigua 2003 South Africa Australia 414/4 Perth 2008 India West Indies 406/4 Port of Spain 1976 Australia England 404/3 Leeds 1948 West Indies Bangladesh 395/7 Chattogram 2021    Source: https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/222199.html Read Domingo reluctant to play ‘unfit’ Shakib Bangladesh Some Bangladesh batters' preferred hunting ground is Chattogram’s ZACS. One of them is skipper Mominul Haque. The left-handed batter has the best average among Bangladesh players at this ground who have played more than one match. He also has seven Test hundreds at ZACS, most by any player. Besides, Mushfiqur, Tamim, and Shakib all have good records at this venue. Therefore, batting shouldn’t be a major concern for the hosts against this Lankan Test side if they play to their full potential. Top five most Test runs at ZACS, Chattogram  Player Innings Runs HS Ave 100s Mushfiqur Rahim 33 1301 101 40.65 1 Mominul Haque 21 1203 181 66.83 7 Tamim Iqbal 29 905 109 31.20 1 Shakib Al Hasan 30 865 71 30.89 0 Kumar Sangakkara 6 598 319 99.66 2    Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Covid-negative Shakib 'available for first Test vs Sri Lanka' In bowling, spinners have to take the bulk of the responsibility since the pace bowling unit isn’t so strong for the hosts. In addition, Bangladesh’s spinners have excellent records at this venue as well. Shakib will lead the bowling attack, but Taijul has the ability to rip apart the opposition's batting line-up. Top five most Test wickets at ZACS, Chattogram  Player Innings Wickets BBI Ave 5W Shakib Al Hasan 30 60 7/36 32.30 4 Taijul Islam 17 38 7/116 33.84 2 Mehidy Hasan Miraz 12 29 6/80 31.20 1 Shahadat Hossain 17 22 5/71 50.00 1 Nathan Lyon 2 13 7/94 11.84 2     Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Reminiscence: Five Top Performances by Bangladesh Bowlers in Tests against Sri Lanka Probable playing XI Top Order: Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Middle-Orders: Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (Wicket-Keeper), Nayeem Hasan, Lower-Order: Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain. Sri Lanka The Sri Lankan team is currently under pressure to make a strong comeback after a disappointing performance in their last Test series against India. The Lankan side has some seriously talented players who have the capacity to exhibit fine performance. However, will they be able to showcase their potential against a tough Bangladesh side in the BAN vs SL first Test 2022? The newly appointed Lankan head coach, Chris Silverwood, informed us that he has given license to the batters to play fearless cricket. Therefore, the batters are expected to show a positive mindset during the match. The Lankan opener and captain, Karunaratne, will be vital for them to have a strong start to the innings. Besides, Mendis and other senior players will have to play their parts properly during the contest. Read Five Best Test Knocks by Bangladesh Batters Against Sri Lanka: A Look Back In bowling, two of the young spinners—Praveen Jayawickrama and Lasith Embuldeniya, will be crucial for the Lankan side. These two already have eye-catching bowling stats in Test format, and Bangladesh’s conditions are ideal for them to enrich their records even further. So, Bangladesh bats need to be a bit cautious while playing against them. Pacer Vishwa Fernando could also provide breakthroughs for the visitors when needed. Probable Playing XI                Top Order: Dimuth Karunaratne, Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Middle-Orders: Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Ramesh Mendis, Lower-Order: Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya, Vishwa Fernando  Weather Prediction and Pitch Report There is a strong possibility of rain with thunderstorms on the first two days of the match. Therefore, the persistent rain could interrupt the play. The weather conditions could improve from day three. The Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium is not a batting-paradise ground; rather, it can be recognized as a sporting venue. Batters feel confident playing big innings here. The toss-winning captain may opt to bat first at this venue in order to put up a big total on board. Read Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Series 2022: ICC WTC standings predictions for both teams Bottom Line The BAN vs SL first Test 2022 is crucial for both the participating teams in order to stay dominant in the series. The winning team of the first Test will start as favourites prior to the second match at SBNCS, Dhaka. Besides, each match consists of 12 points in the ICC’s World Test Championship (2021–2023). Sri Lanka have a strong record in Tests over Bangladesh. So, they will be hoping to continue their dominance over them. However, this Sri Lankan squad is relatively less-experienced and the hosts have a genuine chance to make a new history. Bangladesh can win a Test series against Sri Lanka for the first time ever. There is much to play for both teams in this bilateral Test series. Read BAN vs SL Test Series 2022: Five Crucial Players for Bangladesh

Bangladesh have played a total of 22 Test matches against Sri Lanka since the two teams first met in September 2001. There were some remarkable individual performances despite the fact that Bangladesh have only won one Test match against Sri Lanka. Since both teams played in subcontinent conditions, spinners have dominated the top bowling performances leaderboard. Let's take a look at five of Bangladesh's top Test bowling performances against Sri Lanka so far, ahead of the BAN vs SL series 2022. Best Test Bowling Performances by Bangladesh Players against Sri Lanka Here are five notable bowling efforts by Bangladeshi players in Tests against Sri Lanka. 5) Mohammad Rafique: 5/114 (R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, 2005) The first Bangladesh bowler who picked a fifer against Sri Lanka in the Test format was Mohammad Rafique. The left-arm spinner was one of the most sought-after players in Bangladesh in early 2000. Rafique bagged a fifer in Sri Lanka’s first innings of the first Test in 2005 before the hosts declared their innings on 370/9d. Read: Cricket Australia: Sri Lanka tour still on despite unrest He finished his spell with 37-9-114-5. Bangladesh went on to lose the contest by an innings margin because of their disappointing batting performances in both innings. 4) Shahadat Hossain: 5/86 (Shaheed Chandu Stadium, Bogra, 2006) One of Bangladesh's fastest bowlers in the early 2000s was Shahadat Hossain. He has the most five-wicket haul (4) in an innings for Bangladesh among the pacers. One of his fifers came against Sri Lanka back in the 2006 home series. Shahadat picked up five wickets in Sri Lanka’s first innings of the second Test at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra. His final bowling figure stood at 21.3-2-86-5. In their first innings, Bangladesh bowled Sri Lanka out for 316. The hosts eventually lost the contest by 10 wickets.  Read Five Best Test Knocks by Bangladesh Batters Against Sri Lanka: A Look Back 3) Mustafizur Rahman: 3/78 (P Sara Oval, Colombo, 2017) Bangladesh’s only victory against Sri Lanka to date came in 2017 away from home. Left-arm medium-pacer, Mustafizur Rahman played an important role with the ball in Sri Lanka’s second innings of the second Test. He removed three crucial Lankan batters and put the hosts under pressure. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 319 in their second innings, while Mustafizur Rahman finished his spell with 23-3-78-3. It was a brilliant effort by him to ensure Bangladesh had a comfortable total to chase. 2) Shakib Al Hasan: 4/74 (P Sara Oval, Colombo, 2017) Bangladesh's ace all-rounder, Shakib Al Hasan, had a brilliant outing in Bangladesh’s historic victory in their 100th Test. In particular, his 4-wicket haul in the second innings helped Bangladesh bowl Sri Lanka out for 319. Shakib finished his spell with 36.2-9-74-4. Bangladesh only needed 191 runs to clinch the second match of the series, which they did quite comfortably in the end. Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Series 2022: ICC WTC standings predictions for both teams 1)   Shakib Al Hasan: 5/70 (Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur)    In 2008, Bangladesh put up a great fight against Sri Lanka in a home series Test match. They had created a genuine opportunity to upset a very strong Lankan Test side thanks to a great bowling performance in Sri Lanka’s first innings and Bangladesh’s second innings. Shakib Al Hasan was magnificent with his left-arm spin as a strong Sri Lankan side was bowled out for 293. Shakib Al Hasan’s spell finished with 28.4-4-70-5. It has been one of the most dominant bowling performances by any Bangladesh bowler against Sri Lanka in the Test format.  Bottom Line   Over the years, Bangladesh bowlers have had a harder time than the batters in the longer-version format against Sri Lanka. One of the reasons for this is that bowlers have had fewer opportunities than batters, as Sri Lanka have sealed eight innings victories out of seventeen against Bangladesh. Read IPL 2022: Favourites to Reach the Playoffs In all, Bangladesh bowlers have recorded five five-wicket hauls against Sri Lanka, although not all of them have had the same effect. Therefore, not all five-wicket hauls were considered in the top five Bangladesh bowling performances in Tests against Sri Lanka. Bangladesh players will hopefully put in even more outstanding performances in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.