Sri Lanka will be eyeing to avoid their sixth defeat on the bounce and a potential whitewash when they go face to face with Bangladesh on 28 May in the third and final ODI of the series, at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka. Before coming to Bangladesh, the visitors had suffered a 0-3 series defeat to West Indies in the Caribbean.
Bangladesh have already sealed the series with a convincing 103-run win in the rain-affected second ODI. The next win will complete the revenge for Tamim Iqbal’s men, who got clean-swept by 3-0 by the Sri Lankans in 2019.
Mushfiqur Rahim has bagged back-to-back Player of the Match awards for his innings of 84 and 125. Mahmudullah has also accumulated 95. Shakib Al Hasan, however, is yet to find his form: coming at his preferred No. 3 slot, he got a rare duck in the second ODI.
Led by Kusal Perera, the inexperienced Sri Lankan side has never been up to the mark to match their opponents, especially in the batting department. Except for Wanindu Hasaranga, no Sri Lanka player is yet to notch up a fifty so far.
Bangladesh are currently sitting at the top of the World Cup Super League points table with 50 points, 10 more than second-placed England. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have a negative (-2) point at this stage. They are still winless after five matches.
Head to Head:
Sri Lanka have played Bangladesh 50 times in ODIs. They have won 39 matches and lost 9.
Likely XIs:
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal (c), Mohammad Naim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mosaddek Hossain, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman.
Sri Lanka: Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Perera (c & wk), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Isuru Udana, Lakshan Sandakan and Dushmantha Chameera.
Prediction:
Sri Lanka to win the contest.