Pranav KhandaleIt’s a do-or-die situation for the two Asian giants. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were on the back foot right at the beginning of their respective innings in their respective first games. The two teams will now compete at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with the winner moving on to the Super Four stage.
The overview
For the past 12 months, Bangladesh have struggled in the batting department, having gone on to lose 14 of their last 16 T20Is. The primary reason is the below-average performance of the senior trio of Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah. In the previous match against Afghanistan, Shakib Al Hasan batted at No. 3 to keep the left-hand-right-hand combination going, though Mushfiqur Rahim has a better temperament for the anchor role. Hence, the wicket-keeper batter needs to bat at No. 3. Mosaddek Hossain had a great outing against Afghanistan: a brisk 48-run knock and an excellent bowling spell of 12 for 1 made him a stand-out performer. The Sri Lankan batting line-up features three left-handed batters, so Mosaddek Hossain’s off-breaks may prove crucial. The wicket is expected to seam and bounce, and in these conditions Mustafizur Rahman is still Bangladesh’s best weapon.
Five-time champions Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have had a poor run in the T20Is. They have lost 10 of their last 14 matches. Their batting unit has struggled: in the previous 10 T20Is, Sri Lanka on average have lost 2 wickets for 34 runs in the Powerplay. The top order must take more responsibility if Sri Lanka are to clear the hurdle on Thursday. Dasun Shanaka might be tempted to bring Ashen Bandara in place of Danushka Gunathilaka, who has been struggling for form. Kusal Mendis, in the last three matches against Bangladesh, has scored 120 runs at a Strike Rate of 169. Sri Lanka, on paper, also have a better spin-bowling unit, though the wicket favours seam bowlers. Chamika Karunaratne, Matheesha Pathirana and Dilshan Madushanka have to prove a lot in the absence of Sri Lanka’s premier fast bowlers.
Match details
Match: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium
Date: 1 September 2022
Time: 07:30 PM IST
Where to watch: Star Sports Network | Disney+ Hotstar
Pitch report & Toss
The match will be played on one of the used surfaces. Seamers will extract bounce and spinners will play a significant role. Overall, it looks like an even contest between bat and ball throughout the match. The side winning the toss will still opt to bowl first, however.
Probable playing XIs
Bangladesh: Mohammad Naim, Anamul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan (c), Afif Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman
Sri Lanka: Kusal Mendis (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Danushka Gunathilaka/Ashen Bandara, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka
Head-to-head
Matches Played: 12
Won by Bangladesh: 4
Won by Sri Lanka: 8
Clean hitters
Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan, Afif Hossain, Mahmudullah
Sri Lanka: Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Mendis
Death-over bowlers
Bangladesh: Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman
Sri Lanka: Chamika Karunaratne, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka
Fantasy team
Mushfiqur Rahim, Kusal Mendis, Mahmudullah, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Shakib Al Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mustafizur Rahmanm, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka
Captain & Vice-captain choices
Captian: Shakib Al Hasan, Wanindu Hasaranga
Vice-Captain: Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Mosaddek Hossain
Prediction
It’s difficult to choose an outright winner here. The chasing side will have a slight advantage. The team losing fewer wickets during the Powerplay will edge the other. Sri Lanka look like a well-balanced side with power-hitters throughout their batting lineup. I am backing them to make it to the Super Four stage.
