Under the new skipper, Sri Lanka will start their new white-ball journey when they face Bangladesh in Dhaka for the first ODI of the series.
Match Timings: May 23, 12:30 PM IST
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Bangladesh will host Sri Lanka for the 3-match ODI series to find 30 points for CWC Super League. Both teams recently met each other in the Test series in Pallekele where Sri Lanka clinched the second Test by 209 runs to win the series. The ODI assignment will be hosted in Shere Bangla National Stadium at Dhaka with all covid protocols.
Sri Lanka made a bold move by announcing the new skipper for the ODIs and Kushal Perera will take the charge of captaincy. Kusal Mendis has been named as the vice-captain of the side. Selectors even dropped some big names like Angelo Mathews, Karunaratne, Lahiru Thirimanne, and Dinesh Chandimal. Sri Lanka is making experiments since the 2015 WC and they haven’t got the best combination for ODIs. Karunaratne captained the side in the last WC but the board have now decided to pick a new captain and Perera might lead this side for the next two years considering the World Cup 2023.
Sri Lanka’s start to CWC Super League isn’t so convincing. They were thrashed by West Indies 3-0 in the last ODI assignment and if it continues, Sri Lanka might play the qualifier to participate in the next WC. Perera indicated already that his side will play attacking cricket and with the experience of 101 matches, he can turn around things with a pool of youngsters. Gunathilaka was in good form in the WI series by accumulating 187 runs at an average of 62.33. Hasaranga has already impressed in last one year with some good performance. The all-rounder scored 130 runs in the WI series and he would be an impactful bowler on this surface. Pathum Nissanka is a fine domestic talent and scored a hundred in the previous ODI series.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s story is similar to Sri Lanka but they are slightly better at home. After defeating the B side of West Indies 3-0 at home, they suffered a clean sweep in New Zealand, and in all three matches, they were hammered by Kiwis. Bangladesh had a good performance in WC 2019 but they would avoid playing qualifier for 2023 WC which will be held in India.
Tamim Iqbal is their new skipper who started the preparation when his side played an ODI series in Sri Lanka but lost it. The captain has been pretty good with the bat in the last few months. He scored three half-centuries in the Test series. He scored 92 against New Zealand in the only ODI he played there. Shanto, who scored 163 against Sri Lanka in the first Test has been dropped due to his poor form in ODIs. He has aggregated only 93 runs in his last eight games. Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur are also back in the squad who recently participated in Indian T20 League 2021.
Bangladesh has a good record at home and since 2015 WWC, they have bettered their record by winning some good series in ODI format. Hosts will likely to feature the same team they tried against West Indies in January this year. Sri Lanka are the underdogs with the new captain so it should be a cracking game of ODI.
Pitch Report
Dhaka’s surface is usually a batting surface and we have seen a total of 270-280 in the past. Spin might take help in middle-overs and pacers will trouble with the new ball. Chasing would be a safe call, considering the dew at night.
Team Squads
Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal (C), Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Liton Das, Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Shoriful Islam
Sri Lanka
Kusal Perera (C), Kusal Mendis (VC), Danushka Gunathilaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Dasun Shanaka, Ashen Bandara, Wanindu Hasaranga, Isuru Udana, Akila Dananjaya, Niroshan Dickwella, Dushmantha Chameera, Ramesh Mendis, Asitha Fernando, Lakshan Sandakan, Chamika Karunaratne, Binura Fernando, Shiran Fernando
Key Players
Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal
Shakib Al Hasan
Sri Lanka
Kushal Perera
Danushka Gunathilaka
