"Imagine the team without Dhananjaya de Silva" - Twitter reacts to Sri Lanka's shambolic batting display in 2nd Test against Pakistan 

Sri Lanka have found themselves in a difficult situation after opting to bat first in the second Test against Pakistan at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. The hosts lost eight wickets for just 136 runs as they stare at a below-par total in the must-win Test.

The Dimuth Karunaratne-led side were in trouble right away after an ill-fated run-out resulted in Nishan Madushka departing. Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi rattled the top order with the new ball to reduce Sri Lanka to 36-4 at the halfway stage of the opening session.

The in-form Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal put on a counter-attacking partnership worth 85 runs off just 118 deliveries for the fifth wicket. However, the side endured a collapse in the second innings as well, beginning with Chandimal's wicket. Dhananjaya de Silva scored a valiant fifty but perished soon as he ran out of partners at the other end.

Questionable shot selection and lack of temperament are some of the takeaways from Sri Lanka's batting performance as they were easily bowled out by Pakistan on what seems to be a solid batting surface.

Fans on Twitter reacted to the poor batting display by Sri Lanka, marking a poor start to their 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. Here are some of the reactions:

Damith Weerasinghe

@Damith1994

A mediocre batting performance by Sri Lanka having won the toss and opted to bat.

A few irresponsible strokes have brought the downfall of the hosts. They've only themselves to blame.

Cannot accept being bowled out for 166 on a dry, SSC surface.

#SLvPAK @ThePapareSports

A mediocre batting performance by Sri Lanka having won the toss and opted to bat.

A few irresponsible strokes have brought the downfall of the hosts. They've only themselves to blame.

Cannot accept being bowled out for 166 on a dry, SSC surface.

#SLvPAK @ThePapareSports

Soorya Sesha

@sooryasesha7

Apology of a batting display by Sri Lanka. Terrible shot selection and they've just thrown it away. No demons at all in the pitch at a venue which has historically been very good for batting too. Long, long way back in this game #SLvPAK

1

Apology of a batting display by Sri Lanka. Terrible shot selection and they've just thrown it away. No demons at all in the pitch at a venue which has historically been very good for batting too. Long, long way back in this game #SLvPAK

Malik Saleem Raza

@MS_Raza111

Pak has been lucky today or should I say SL has been very poor.
#SLvPAK #SLvsPAK

Pak has been lucky today or should I say SL has been very poor.
#SLvPAK #SLvsPAK

Hishani

@Hishani4

@grassrootscric Pathetic batting by Sri Lanka. Except for Dananjaya Desilva all other top order batsmen just threw their wickets away. This is a test not a 20 over.
No patience at all!

@grassrootscric Pathetic batting by Sri Lanka. Except for Dananjaya Desilva all other top order batsmen just threw their wickets away. This is a test not a 20 over.
No patience at all!

AndyyyH

@Andy16092

Pakistan have bowled well this morning but been some very questionable batting from Sri Lanka #PAKvSL

1

Pakistan have bowled well this morning but been some very questionable batting from Sri Lanka #PAKvSL

Rex Clementine

@RexClementine

Horror batting this by Sri Lanka. Too many soft dismissals. Unlike Galle, there’s hasn’t been some probing spells here. Just a causal approach since the run out in the third over.

18

2

Horror batting this by Sri Lanka. Too many soft dismissals. Unlike Galle, there’s hasn’t been some probing spells here. Just a causal approach since the run out in the third over.

1Pendragon

@1Pendragon1

@RexClementine Why DDS bats at no. 6?? Its a weast of froms when your best batter bats at no. 6 with tail enders.

Silverwood needs to be pushed on this issue

@RexClementine Why DDS bats at no. 6?? Its a weast of froms when your best batter bats at no. 6 with tail enders.

Silverwood needs to be pushed on this issue

Joshua Samaraweera

@joshsamaraweera

What a terrible session from Sri Lanka yet again. Dhananjaya de Silva needs to bat at 4 and time to bring Nissanka in because this batting order is useless

What a terrible session from Sri Lanka yet again. Dhananjaya de Silva needs to bat at 4 and time to bring Nissanka in because this batting order is useless

Zubair Shakeel Wani

@ZubiTalks

Total breakdown in the communication. Did the two batsmen not speak/ understand Sinhalese? Jayasuriya with his head down walks back. Last rites in progress. SL 136-8
#PAKvSL #SLvsPAK #BabarAzam𓃵 twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

8

Total breakdown in the communication. Did the two batsmen not speak/ understand Sinhalese? Jayasuriya with his head down walks back. Last rites in progress. SL 136-8
#PAKvSL #SLvsPAK #BabarAzam𓃵 twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Zubair Shakeel Wani

@ZubiTalks

Got to feel for poor Dhananjaya. Running out of partners, he tried to score quickly, but couldn’t continue to the liking of SL.This is all going down hill for SL. PAK bossing the Test Match. SL 133-7.
#SLvsPAK #PAKvsSL #BabarAzam𓃵

11

Got to feel for poor Dhananjaya. Running out of partners, he tried to score quickly, but couldn’t continue to the liking of SL.This is all going down hill for SL. PAK bossing the Test Match. SL 133-7.
#SLvsPAK #PAKvsSL #BabarAzam𓃵

Ananth cric

@AnanthCric

Imagine Sri Lanka without Dhanjaya de Silva in recent days!!

#SLvsPAK #INDAvPAKA #SriLanka #SriLankan

Imagine Sri Lanka without Dhanjaya de Silva in recent days!!

#SLvsPAK #INDAvPAKA #SriLanka #SriLankan

Invisible Man

@Invisible2107

Srilanka have only one test batsman in their 11 - Dhananjaya de Silva.
Rest are tailenders.
Their batsman struggling against this tinpot Pakistan team.
Downfall of srilanka team.
#SLvsPAK

1

Srilanka have only one test batsman in their 11 - Dhananjaya de Silva.
Rest are tailenders.
Their batsman struggling against this tinpot Pakistan team.
Downfall of srilanka team.
#SLvsPAK

Sri Lanka bowled out for 166 in the first innings

The hosts tried to extend their first innings total through Rames Mendis' fighting knock down the order. The right-arm bowler scored 27 runs off 44 deliveries and hung around with the tail before his dismissal in the 49th ended the innings.

Abrar Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan on Day 1. The spinner finished with figures of 4-69 while Naseem Shah picked up three wickets to mark a solid outing for the bowling unit. The dismal showing on the opening day goes into the record books as Sri Lanka's lowest total at the venue.

Pakistan currently leads the two-match Test series by a 1-0 margin and have set things up beautifully to take the opposition out of the game entirely. Babar Azam and Co. will be aiming to score big much like in the series opener and put pressure on the hosts as the match progresses.

Will the hosts make a comeback in the second Test despite a poor start? Let us know what you think.

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