Captain Dimuth Karunaratne says Sri Lanka will use their agonizing last-gasp defeat to New Zealand as motivation when the second Test starts on Friday in Wellington.

“Unfortunately we aren’t in a position to progress [to the final], but it’s a two-Test series and we have to play for our pride,”

“I can see the boys in the dressing room still want to win this match and draw the series.”

“We can challenge the Kiwi top batters every time, even some of their players said to me that they didn’t expect that kind of bowling pressure from the Sri Lankans, That’s a plus point.”

“We have not yet finalised our XI for the game, there could be two changes, We might play four fast bowlers also a possibility of a change in wicket keeper position of Niroshan Dickwella” Dimuth Karunaratne added.

“There is more greenery in the wicket and rain forecasted for few days, so we might play an additional fast bowler instead of our Spinner”

Dimuth Karunaratne also said that if Niroshan Dickwella is replaced, Nishan Madushka likely to come in to the XI but he will not bat in the top order.