Pakistan vs Sri Lanka | 1st Test, day 2 - match prediction
History was made as Test cricket returned to Pakistan after almost 10 years. Sri Lanka are batting first, and they ended the first day of the first Test match of the series at 202/5.
I have got to tell you that this Test match could yield a result. After 10 years Pakistan are hosting Sri Lanka in a Test series and they will look to make it even more memorable. Sri Lanka too will look to put up a good show against the host who have been on top of things so far.
However, I need to tell you that you can make quite a lot of money when these two sides will take the field on Day 2 of the Test match. I am going to take you through the top three bets you can place to fill your pockets.
1. Azam in good form
Babar Azam to be the top Pakistan batsman @ 4.75
How about getting almost five times the money that you are going to invest? Well, I will tell you how! Babar Azam has come into the series on the back of a very good campaign in Australia. The stylish right hander has scored 210 runs in two matches. He scored a 63 against Cricket Australia XI and a brilliant 157 runs against Australia A.
His last five matches have yielded 431 runs at an average of 86.20. In 2019, he has played five matches and 354 runs at an average of 44.25. He does not have a great record against Sri Lanka. His average against Sri Lanka is only 9.75 which is the least. However, he has had a very good run of form with the bat in recent times. Three fifties and a hundred came in difficult away conditions against South Africa and Australia and he will look to emulate the same against Sri Lanka at home. This is his first Test at home, and he would want to make it count. So, don’t think before placing your money on Azam.
2. Likely that de Silva gets out first
Next man out – Dhananjaya de Silva @ 2.50
Here’s your chance of making more than double of your investment! I will take you through certain statistics of a couple of batsmen who remained not out overnight. And then, you will know that these statistics will justify my aforementioned statement.
De Silva has seven single digit scores in his last 15 Test innings. He just has a single century in those many innings against New Zealand and that too came in Colombo. His last 14 innings scores look like – 1, 0, 5, 14, 25, 6, 23, 48, 19, DNB, 5, 14*, 109 and 1. Those numbers are proof of De Silva’s inconsistency.
On the other hand, Niroshan Dickwella has managed to score 257 runs in five matches against Pakistan with an average of 42.83 and also has two half centuries under his belt. Considering Dickwella’s experience against Pakistan, one would back him to stay at the crease longer than his partner. Punters can place their money on De Silva who is likely to get out before Dickwella.
3. Less runs
Runs at fall of 6th wicket will be under 228.5 @ 1.83
Pakistan did not include Yasir Shah in their bowling attack for this Test and instead, they went with an all pace attack. Believe it or not, it has kind of paid off for the home side. The Pakistan seamers have managed to pick up the Sri Lankan wickets at regular intervals and that has disturbed the momentum of the visitors.
Sri Lanka got off to a really good start with Dimuth Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando, who stood firm in the middle until Shaheen Afridi removed the former. Thereafter, Sri Lanka were unable to build a big partnership and kept on losing wickets regularly.
Pakistan seamers have bowled exceedingly well even when the wicket on the first day was tilting their assistance towards the batsmen. Naseem Shah was the pick of the bowlers as he picked up two important wickets.
The ball is going to move in the first session and the Pakistani seamers will look to take advantage of that condition and wrap up this Lankan innings quickly. Mohammad Abbas, Usman Shinwari, Afridi along with Shah have been effective and they would not want to waste much time early in the morning on Day 2 before hitting the ball on the money.
