Bangladesh Faces Sri Lanka in Decisive Third ODI Today

Kandy, Sri Lanka – Bangladesh will aim for its first series win over Sri Lanka as the two teams prepare for the final ODI at Pallekele International Stadium today. The match is set to begin at 3:00 PM Bangladesh Standard Time, with T Sports broadcasting the event live.

After suffering a surprising loss in the first ODI, Mehidy Hasan Miraz‘s team bounced back to level the series 1-1 with a thrilling 16-run win in the second match. This series win would be only Bangladesh’s second in three-match ODI formats after losing the first game, having previously achieved a similar feat against South Africa in 2015.

Bangladesh’s confidence comes after their victories against Sri Lanka in previous series, winning both by 2-1 on home turf. In the second ODI, left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam made headlines with his impressive 5-wicket haul, becoming the fourth Bangladeshi spinner to achieve this milestone in an away ODI.

In the batting department, both Parvez Hossain and Towhid Hridoy contributed fifties, and Tanzim Hasan provided crucial support with a 33-run cameo. However, the batting lineup has struggled to convert starts into substantial scores. Former captain Najmul Hossain Shanto‘s performances of 23 and 14 have raised concerns as Bangladesh seeks more consistent middle-order contributions.

Captain Mehidy has made changes to boost the batting, promoting himself to number five in the lineup. Despite this, he has yet to exceed single digits. Addressing the batting struggles, Mehidy acknowledged issues with run-outs and the team’s inability to last the full 50 overs in the first two matches. ‘We must improve,’ he stated after the second match.

Weather conditions may also play a role in today’s match as recent ODIs at Pallekele have been interrupted by rain. Typically, the pitch favors batting, yielding an average of 5.50 runs per six balls, though fast bowlers have dominated, recording nearly 58% of total wickets.

Bangladesh may reintroduce Taskin Ahmed, who missed the last match due to fitness concerns. Conversely, Sri Lanka boasts a strong track record at Pallekele, having lost only one of their last nine ODIs at the venue.

This final encounter will be crucial for both teams, with Bangladesh striving for their first series win over Sri Lanka in ODIs.