10:00 AM UTC: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, Group 1, Super 12s, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will face off against each other in their opening fixture of the Super 12s stage. Both teams qualified through the First Round, where Sri Lanka won all of its three games while Bangladesh took two games and suffered a loss at the hands of Scotland.
Bowling prowess
Both teams have bowlers who can turn things around on their day. Sri Lanka possesses Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara, and Chameera in terms of pace, a combination that brings pace and movement. Meanwhile, spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has been stellar in terms of both taking wickets and controlling the runs.
On the other hand, the bowling department is revved up for Bangladesh. While Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin, and Taskin Ahmad can take rattle top-orders and close out at death, the main strength comes from the spin duo of Shakib Al Hasan and Mehdi Hasan, both of whom pose a substantial danger through their control and variations.
Top-order issues
Bangladesh’s opening pair of Mohammad Naim and Liton Das has not made big partnerships. Das has especially struggled, making just 40 runs in the last three innings. The middle-order is experienced with Shakib, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Mahmudullah, but the batters have a tendency to play wayward shots in crucial periods. Can Bangladesh keep their cool against tough bowling? Afif Hossain can play a big role using his ability to strike big and hard.
Sri Lanka’s state is no better, the team received next-to-nothing for the first-wicket partnership in the three games. The number three batters haven’t even cracked the single figures mark, and so far Chandimal and Asalanka both have fallen early. Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Fernando have been decent while Wanindu has played a match-winning inning. Now the test will come against better bowling lineups so the team needs to step up.