Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Prediction: Pakistan starts their next World Test Championship on this tour.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan are going head to head against each other at Galle International Stadium, Galle, Sri Lanka on 16th July. Pakistan starts their next World Test Championship on this tour. Who will win this game?

Fresh off their successful campaign in the ODI World Cup Qualifiers held in Zimbabwe, the Sri Lankan cricket team enters the Test format with hopes of maintaining their good performance. However, they are aware of the challenges that come with Test cricket and will need to bring their best game as they face formidable opposition.

Sri Lanka is expected to field a similar squad to the one that secured a series whitewash against Ireland earlier this year, with only a few changes. Leg-spinner Lasith Embuldeniya is likely to be replaced by Praveen Jayawickrama in the lineup. Joining Jayawickrama in the spin attack will be Ramesh Mendis and Prabth Jayasuriya. However, Asitha Fernando, who is recovering from a fever, may not be available for the series opener and could be substituted by Dilshan Madushanka.

Kasun Rajitha and Vishwa Fernando will feature in the pace attack alongside other bowlers. The Sri Lankan batting lineup is considered one of their strengths. Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, who showcased excellent form during the ODIs, will pair up with Nishan Madushka as the opening batsman. The middle looks decent enough to take on Pakistani bowlers. Overall, Sri Lanka possesses a well-balanced squad for the upcoming Test series.

Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Praveen Jayawickrama, Dilshan Madushka, Vishwa Fernando

The Pakistan cricket team displayed promising form in the warm-up match, scoring an impressive 342 runs against the Sri Lanka President's XI. They will be aiming to carry forward this momentum into the upcoming match.

Under the leadership of Babar Azam, the team will rely on the experience and contributions of senior players such as Sarfaraz Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, Imam ul-Haq, and Abdullah Shafique. In the practice match, ul-Haq and Shafique provided a decent opening partnership but were unable to convert it into a substantial inning.

Aamer Jamal and Muhammad Huraira, who have recently performed well in domestic cricket, have earned their maiden Test call-ups and could secure a spot in the playing XI. Pakistan will possess a formidable pace attack, with the return of Shaheen Shah Afridi to the red-ball squad after a year-long hiatus. Afridi will be accompanied by Hasan Ali and Naseem Shah, both of whom are skilled seamers. The spin department will be spearheaded by Abrar Ahmed, the lone specialist spinner in the squad. However, Pakistan also has a variety of all-rounders who can contribute with their spin bowling, including Mohammad Nawaz and Nauman Ali.

Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc & wk), Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi

The Galle pitch is renowned for being batsman-friendly, with a flat surface and a decent amount of bounce. However, the fast bowlers will need to maintain accuracy in their line and length to avoid being scored easily. Teams batting first at Galle have posted an average score of 366 in the first innings. As the match progresses, the spinners will come into play, finding turns and making it challenging for batsmen. Chasing a target of over 200 in the fourth inning can be quite difficult on this ground. Overcast skies are anticipated, and there is a forecast for rain throughout the upcoming week, which could potentially affect the match. With a better bowling lineup, we expect Pakistan to win this game.