Today it will be another series decider encounter between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, when they will play the third and last match of the three-match ODI series today.
It will also be a different ball game to watch when all will eye Bangladesh captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto, who scored a hundred in the first ODI and Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka also struck century in the last match. When Towhid Hridoy of Bangladesh, the middle order batter and the Sri Lankan one down batter Charith Hasaranga both scored 96 and 91 respectively in the last match also be under the rudder.
Meanwhile, Kushal Mendis is one of the very consistent batters of the Sri Lankan team. He has scored a lot of runs in the series. He may also turn into danger on the day.
Opener Pathum Nissanka has been inform batter, his hundred in the second ODI against Bangladesh came after scoring a double hundred against Afghanistan.
Sri Lankan leg break Hasaranga returned to form with a four-wicket haul in second game, might be appear with great threat for Bangladesh batter, though their strike bowler and the pace spearhead Dilshan Madushanka will not available for today’s match.
Madushanka has been ruled out of the remainder of the tour of Bangladesh, as he suffered a left hamstring injury during the second ODI.
Bangladesh pace unit will also miss Tanzim Sakib, who was ruled out hamstring injury. The young pacer had the injury in the first ODI in which he claimed 3-44 to help Bangladesh win the game by six wickets.
But Shoriful and Taskin Ahmed looked at their peak when they have been taking wickets in every match when Shoriful Islam has been magnificent with the new ball.
Bangladesh have an opportunity to win the ODI series for second time against Sri Lanka when they won the first one in 2021 at the Home of Cricket, Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur.
After suffering the defeat in the T20 series, to win the today’s match and as well as the series both the Tigers’ bowlers and the batters would have to be more competent.
Bangladesh will play without Litton Das, who was dropped for his recent performances. Litton started the Sri Lanka tour with a duck in the first T20, then played a 36 off 24 balls innings in the second T20 and got out for successive ducks in the first and second ODI following seven runs in the third T20 match.
However, BCB replaced Litton with wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali, who scored an impressive 68 in the first T20I against Sri Lanka. Jaker Ali, who played played 84 List A matches, scored 1918 runs at an average of 34.87.
Bowlers could not keep up the momentum the early forays for a long in the first match, as Pathum Nisanka and Charith Asalanka scored 114 and 91 runs respectively at the middle, despite Shoriful making the first breakthrough with sending back Avishka for a duck with teams only one runs, Taskin got Kushal Mendis out cheaply for 16 with team’s score 42, and Shoriful struck again to take Sadeera Samarawickrama for one run and team’s 43.
Bangladesh bowlers could not even make any impact when the tale-enders were batting, as Sri Lankan number eight bat Wanindu Hasanranga scored 25 off 16 balls and number seven Dunith Wellalage was not for 15 runs and 52 runs came for their combined efforts to win the match with 17 balls (almost three overs) remaining.
But today, Tigers will have to fire up from all cylinders and will have to be more competent to win the match.