Sri Lanka take on Bangladesh in the first of a three-match One Day International series at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Saturday.
The visitors will be high on confidence after sharing honours with the hosts in the recently concluded two-match Test series. An inspired all-round performance saw Bangladesh win their first ever Test against Sri Lanka, a four-wicket victory in Colombo. On the other hand, things have been going downhill for Sri Lanka and they are heading into the ODI series after being whitewashed 5-0 in South Africa earlier this year.
Match: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, 1st ODI
Date: 25 March, Saturday
Time: 5pm SGT/2:30pm IST/9am GMT
Venue: Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla
TV Channel: Ten Cricket will provide live TV coverage in Singapore.
Live Streaming: The match can be watched online at Channel 9.
Bangladesh are in a good position to get back to winning ways in the 50-over format after their impressive home run, in which they defeated Pakistan, India and South Africa, was halted by a touring English side last year which was followed by a 3-0 thrashing against New Zealand.
However, with their strike bowler Mustafizur Rahman back in the ODI squad and captain Mashrafe Mortaza at the helm of things, Bangladesh will give a stiff fight to the hosts. The form of their key batsmen - Tamim Iqbal, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah and Shakib Al Hasan - will boost their confidence as they have been amassing runs so far in the tour.
Also, Sri Lanka will be without their skipper Angelo Mathews, top-order batsman Kusal Perera and their biggest matchwinner in Lasith Malinga. However, stand-in skipper Upul Tharanga's form should give the team the necessary confidence. Niroshan Dickwella and Asela Gunaratne, both of whom impressed in South Africa series, will have to stand up along with the likes of Dinesh Chandimal.
It is an important series as well for both the teams as Bangladesh, ranked 7 behind Sri Lanka, will have an opportunity to leapfrog the latter to move to the sixth spot in the ICC ladder.
Team News
Sri Lanka
Possible XI: Tharanga (c), Dickwella, Mendis, Chandimal (wk), De Silva, Gunaratne, Perera, Prasanna, Kumara, Lakmal, Sandakan
Bangladesh
Possible XI: Mortaza (c), Tamim, Sarkar, Sabbir, Mahmudullah, Shakib, Mosaddek, Mushfiqur (wk), Mehedi, Taskin, Mustafizur
TV Schedule
Bangladesh: BTV
Sri Lanka: Ten 3
Pakistan: PTV Sports
Middle East: OSN Channel 613
India: Ten 3
US: Willow TV
