Eying to win the series, Bangladesh will face Sri Lanka in the 3rd and last ODI of the three-match series at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SCC) Ground in Colombo on Saturday.
The match, 41st ODI tussle between the two nations, will begin at 10am (Bangladesh time).
Having an advantage of 1-0 lead in the three-match series with the 2nd match being washed out due to rain at Dambulla on Tuesday last, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s men have the bright chance to secure the maiden series victory against Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh’s optimistic head coach Chandika Hathurusingha said, “The seniors have responded to (the responsibility of getting a big score) really well. It comes with the belief and maturity of the players. They’re really confident in their preparation now.”
The Tigers are likely to field the unchanged winning eleven, who were in the last two ODIs, for the 3rd match meaning Imrul Kayes, Rubel Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Shuvagata Hom, Subashis Roy and newcomer Sunzamul Islam will be on the bench at SSC Ground where Bangladesh played last ODI in 2005.
The hosts brought three changes to their eleven in the 2nd ODI. However, while their batting clicked, the newly formed bowling attack could not be tested.
The hosts rearranged their bowling force bringing in Dilruwan Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara and Nuwan Pradeep in place of Lahiru Kumara, Lakshan Sandakan and Sachith Pathirana.
Lankan batting line clicked in the 2nd match as the scored 311/10 where pacer Taskin Ahmed claimed a hat-trick as the 5th Bangladeshi bowler.
However, hosts’ bowling attack could not be tested as the match was abandoned before the Bangladesh innings started.
Dhananjaya de Silva, Lahiru Kumara, Vikum Sanjaya, Sachith Pathirana, Seekkuge Prassanna and Lakshan Sandakan may remain sidelined.
The rain-ruined 2nd ODI hampered Bangladesh’s lucrative chance to go up to the number six place in the ICC ODI rankings.
The two teams will remain in their previous places on the table – Sri Lanka at number six and Bangladesh at number seven – regardless of how the 3rd ODI result pans out at SSC Ground that hosted an ODI last in 2011 during the World Cup.
Since 1986, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka faced each other in 40 ODIs where the latter recorded 33 wins and the former have only four victories. The two other matches had seen no results.
Bangladesh best XI (probable): Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (captain), Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed.
Sri Lanka best XI (probable): Upul Tharanga (captain), Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Asela Gunaratne, Milinda Siriwardana, Thisara Perera, Dilruwan Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Kulasekara and Nuwan Pradeep.
