Players of Sri Lanka National Cricket team take part in their practice session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium at Mirpur in the city on Wednesday ahead of the match against Bangladesh today (Thursday). — bdnews24.com Bangladesh will play Sri Lanka in the 6th match of the seven-match Tri-nation series at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city today (Thursday), reports UNB.
The last league battle of the tournament will begin at 12pm where Sri Lanka will take the ground to utilise their must-win chance for the final berth while the hosts are pressure-free maintaining the top slot in the points table with all-win 15 points from three games after confirming the final with two matches to spare. The variation of net run rate between two bottom-run sides -- Sri Lanka (0.989) and Zimbabwe (-1.087)-- is very close with having four points each, registering one win apiece. If Sri Lanka can manage a win against rocking Bangladesh, they will face each other in the final on Saturday without any further equation. In reverse result, the fate of the final berth will be decided by net run rate between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
"In this kind of tournament if you lose the first two games it's always tough, but sometimes it gives you more confidence and morale to come back strong. As a team, we're looking at it that way. We will have something up our sleeves," said Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal ahead of the match day at Mirpur in the city on Wednesday.
However, Mustafizur Rahman needs one more dismissal to complete 50 wickets in ODIs to be the sixth fastest bowler to reach the milestone alongside world famous spinner Shane Warne of Australia and New Zealand pacer Matt Henry and by a distance the fastest Bangladesh bowler.
Bangladesh started their new year ODI campaign with this Tri-nation series beating Zimbabwe by eight wickets in the opener before routing Sri Lanka by a record 163-run margin and found Zimbabwe again for a 91-run win.
The previous record is showing that Sri Lankans have never lost in two successive matches against Bangladesh which registered only four wins against 34 losses in their 42 ODI encounters. Two matches ended with no results.
Squads (probable): Bangladesh best XI: Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Sabbir Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (captain), Sunzamul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Rubel Hossain.
Sri Lanka best XI: Danushka Gunathilaka, Upul Tharanga, Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Asela Gunaratne, Thisara Perera, Akila Dananjaya, Suranga Lakmal, Lakshan Sandakan and Nuwan Pradeep.
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