Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Prediction: Prolific Mendis can continue his runscoring spree

After last week's high-scoring draw in Galle, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh meet again in Wednesday's second Test at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club (start time, 05:30 BST).

Before this two-match series, Sri Lanka had won the previous three Tests against Bangladesh by 10 wickets, 328 runs and 192 runs and they are aiming to tame the Tigers in this week's decider.

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Team News

Sri Lanka legend Angelo Mathews retired after the first Test so uncapped batsmen Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Pavan Rathnayake are vying for a spot in the middle-order.

All-rounder Milan Rathnayake misses out due to a side strain, meaning left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando may come back into the bowling attack.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto will be assessed after suffering a finger injury during slip-catching practice but the Tigers welcome back star all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who missed the first Test due to illness.

Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Odds

Bangladesh have won only one of their 27 Test matches against Sri Lanka and they are 11/2 to claim a rare victory in Colombo. The Lankans are 6/5 and, with rain forecast in the capital, the draw is 1/1.

Sri Lanka had first-wicket stands of 93 and 56 in last year's SSC win over Afghanistan and they are 4/7 to have the highest opening partnership. Bangladesh are 5/4 and the draw is a 33/1 shot.

Kamindu Mendis to be top Sri Lanka first-innings batter @ 7/1

Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka made a career-best 187 in the drawn first Test in Galle, helping his team reach 485 in reply to Bangladesh's first-innings total of 495.

Nissanka stole the show for the hosts but his teammate Kamindu Mendis also made a significant contribution with the bat – something Sri Lanka fans have come to expect.

Mendis scored 87 in the first innings before being dismissed by a stunning delivery from spinner Nayeem Hasan, and he was unbeaten on 12 at the end of day five.

He has made a stunning start to his Test career, averaging 64.15 after 13 matches with five centuries and five fifties, and much of his success has come against Bangladesh.

Mendis scored 102, 164, 92 not out and nine in two away Tests against the Tigers last year and he should be backed to top-score in his side's first innings at the SSC.

Litton Das to score over 26.5 first-innings runs @ 5/6

Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton Das will win his 50th Test cap in Colombo and he can mark the occasion with another sparky knock in the middle-order.

Das has a great range of attacking shots – he generally bats in the top three in ODI and T20 cricket – and he cracked 90 off 123 balls in the first innings in Galle.

Batting lower down the order allows him to cash in against weary bowlers and he scored 138 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi last year after coming in at number seven.

Das had a fine home series against Sri Lanka in 2022, scoring 88, 141 and 52 in his three innings, and he is well worth a bet to make 27 or more first-innings runs at the SSC.