The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle begins with an exciting two-match Test series between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, starting on June 17 at Galle International Stadium. Sri Lanka, led by captain Dhananjaya de Silva, are eager to kick off the new cycle strongly, inspired by South Africa’s recent WTC triumph at Lord’s, where they defeated Australia by five wickets to claim their first championship title. Sri Lanka had a chance to reach the 2023–25 WTC final but lost all four of their last Tests against Australia and South Africa, finishing sixth in the standings. De Silva reminded his team of this missed opportunity, urging them to focus on winning home games to collect crucial points. The first Test also marks the farewell of Sri Lanka’s legendary all-rounder Angelo Mathews, who will retire from Test cricket after this match.
Bangladesh, captained by Najmul Hossain Shanto, are also determined to start well. After finishing seventh in the last WTC cycle with four wins, including a 2-0 series sweep against Pakistan and a victory in the West Indies, the Tigers aim to build on their improved performance. Shanto stressed the importance of a strong start, saying the team had good preparation in Bangladesh. However, there’s uncertainty around all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who is recovering from a fever. Shanto said they will finalise the playing XI after assessing Miraz’s condition, adding that he prefers to keep his batting position a secret to avoid giving Sri Lanka an advantage. Bangladesh’s top order, including Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Mominul Haque, have struggled recently, with Shanto scoring only two half-centuries in his last ten Tests and Rahim failing to pass fifty in his last 13 innings. Despite this, Shanto is confident their experience in Galle will help.
The series carries extra emotion due to a past incident between the teams. During the 2023 ODI World Cup, Mathews became the first batter in international cricket to be dismissed “timed out” after a controversial appeal by Bangladesh’s then-captain Shakib Al Hasan. Mathews, preparing for his 119th and final Test, said he holds no grudges, calling Bangladesh players his friends and recalling fond memories of playing in their country. He hopes to end his Test career on a high note, with de Silva determined to win the match as a tribute to Mathews’ remarkable career. Sri Lanka’s squad includes six uncapped players, such as Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Pavan Rathnayake, who impressed in the National Super League. De Silva believes these youngsters, combined with experienced players like Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis, will help the team start afresh.
Bangladesh’s likely line-up includes spinners Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, and uncapped Hasan Murad, with Hasan Mahmud as the sole pace bowler, tailored for Galle’s spin-friendly pitch, where spinners have taken 373 wickets since 2020. Sri Lanka’s probable XI features Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Udara, and spinners Prabath Jayasuriya and Akila Dananjaya, with Asitha Fernando leading the pace attack. Both teams are coming off lean runs in Test cricket, with Sri Lanka losing 2-0 to Australia at home and Bangladesh splitting a series against Zimbabwe. The Galle Test, followed by the second match in Colombo from June 25–29, offers both sides a chance to set the tone for the WTC cycle.