Bangladesh Aims for a Strong Finish in Final Match of the Tour
Bangladesh Aims for a Strong Finish in Final Match of the Tour
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are now looking to clinch the T20I series title. Former Captain Dinesh Chandimal is set to return to the squad for a must-win game for Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are neck-and-neck in the white-ball matches of this tour. Bangladesh won the second match in both the ODI and T20I series to level things 1-1, but they couldn’t keep up the momentum in the ODI decider and lost heavily. Now they’ve again made it 1-1 in the T20Is, and have a real chance to finish the tour on a high.
Their recent 83-run win in the second T20I was a big boost just their second win in eight T20Is this year. Instead of relying on one or two star players, the team performed well as a cohesive unit. With few standout names in their squad, Bangladesh has realised that building a strong collective unit is key.
Litton Das’s return to form is a bright spot. The skipper scored 76 off 50 balls his first half-century in 13 innings and did so with attacking intent, forming valuable partnerships with Towhid Hridoy and Shamim Hossain. For the upcoming match, Bangladesh will hope for more solid partnerships and a powerful finish to their batting.
The action moves back to R Premadasa Stadium, where night-game pitches have behaved similarly to those in Dhaka. That familiar setting should suit Bangladesh nicely.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, needs a strong comeback after being bowled out for just 94 their lowest-ever home total in T20Is. They’ve bounced back before, like in the ODI series, and could do it again with solid top-order contributions from Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka.
Captain Charith Asalanka will want a more balanced team, especially in terms of bowling depth. Key batters like Kusal Perera and Avishka Fernando will need to step up, while Dasun Shanaka and Chamika Karunaratne must support with the bat. Sri Lanka has felt the absence of Wanindu Hasaranga, and Jeffrey Vandersay hasn’t quite filled the gap.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s spin attack is proving tough to handle. Rishad Hossain picked up three wickets in the last game his first notable T20I performance in seven months. All signs point to a thrilling final showdown between two evenly matched sides.
Kusal Mendis has been Sri Lanka's top performer in recent weeks, showing great control in how he paces his innings across different formats. In the first T20I against Bangladesh in Pallekele, he made chasing 155 look easy with a fluent knock. His sudden drop in the second game, where he was run out for just 8 after a lazy run, was unexpected. Now, with one game left on the tour, Mendis has a chance to wrap things up in style.
On the Bangladesh side, Towhid Hridoy scored only 31 in the second T20I win in Dambulla, but his partnership with Litton Das at the crucial third wicket made a real difference. His role in the middle order is demanding it calls for switching gears depending on the match situation, much like Mushfiqur Rahim did in his prime. Hridoy is stepping into big shoes and steadily evolving as a player. Bowlers now treat him as a serious threat and look for weaknesses in his technique. While he’s got all the shots, it’s the timing and selection of them that sometimes cost him his wicket.
Sri Lanka (expected XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Avishka Fernando, Charith Asalanka (c), Dasun Shanaka, Chamika Karunaratne/Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara
Bangladesh (expected XI): Parvez Hossain Emon, Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das (c & wk), Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali, Mohammad Saifuddin, Rishad Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman