Hosts Bangladesh and touring West Indies will take on each other in the 3rd and final game of the three-match ODI series today (Friday) at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium to decide the series which is locked 1-1 after the first two matches, reports UNB.
Through the match which will kick off at 1pm, Sylhet International Cricket Stadium will make its debut as the ODI venue. The match will be telecast live by GTV.
After losing the 2nd match in Dhaka by four wickets, Bangladesh will face several challenges in the 3rd and final ODI. Bangladesh, which fielded four recognised opening batsmen in the first two matches of the series, did not prove as a wise decision.
All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan played well at number three, which is considered to be a crucial position to bat. Despite a fifty at the position, Shakib made the number three position vulnerable.
But, the rest places of four openers from number two to five did not work properly, Imrul Kayes failed to impress at number three in spite of his golden run in the last home series against Zimbabwe where he scored two centuries in three matches and made another 90 in the other match.
At the same time, Bangladesh's move to play four openers did not reflect their attention for the World Cup preparation which is not too far.
Mohammad Mithun grabbed his second chance in the Bangladesh's ODI line-up before being dropped in the ongoing series. He struck two crucial fifties in the Asia Cup which was enough to cement his place at number five.
But the sudden formula of playing four openers prevented his progress to become a long-term solution for the position. In all, Bangladesh team management needs to rethink their batting line-up ahead of the final ODI of the series.
They might need to bring one certain change as Liton Das sustained an injury in the second match.
Mithun has a good chance to make a comeback in the place of Liton Das, who scored 41 and 8 in the first two matches respectively. Bangladesh might consider inclusion of Mohammad Saifuddin, who played superbly well in the last series.
The wicket of Sylhet is comparatively different from the other area of the country which may add more complication to select a final XI in the series decider.
Squads: Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Liton Das, 3 Imrul Kayes, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Soumya Sarkar, 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Mustafizur Rahman
West Indies (probable): 1 Chandrapaul Hemraj, 2 Shai Hope (wk), 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Roston Chase, 7 Rovman Powell (capt), 8 Keemo Paul, 9 Devendra Bishoo, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Oshane Thomas
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