Bangladesh smell blood in battle with former coach

Sri Lanka were delighted to secure the services of former player Chandika Hathurusingha as coach in December, and already he is under pressure to summon a result from his beleaguered team.

That is thanks in part to the fact that prior to his appointment as Sri Lanka coach, he had spent three years in the same role with Bangladesh, the team he will face on Friday in Dhaka.

During his time with the Tigers Hathurusingha oversaw unprecedented success, particularly at home, before a sudden departure as the team prepared its run-in for the 2019 World Cup in England. Following their comprehensive eight-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the tri-series opener, led by an all-round display from Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh have lost none of their relatively newfound confidence since Hathurusingha’s departure. They may even have found a new source of motivation.

For Sri Lanka the outlook is not so positive. In the second game of this tri-series they suffered a 12-run defeat to Zimbabwe, their third successive ODI defeat to that opposition following their disappointing 3-2 series-defeat in July last year.

That series had brought about the end of Angelo Mathews’ captaincy, and although after a run of replacement skippers he accepted leadership duties back on the eve of this series, it’s currently in doubt whether he’ll play at all. Not for the first time, he is under an injury cloud; this time the return of his hamstring worries could mean he misses more than just Friday’s fixture. Thisara Perera and Dinesh Chandimal are the likely options as stand-in captains.

Sri Lanka can at least look to the good form of Thisara Perera, who took 2-43 from 10 and hit a blistering 37-ball 64 against Zimbabwe. They’ll also welcome the fact that his namesake Kusal is back in the runs following his boundary-studded 80 on Wednesday.

But with an in-form, at-home Bangladesh brimming with confidence and the desire to get one over on their former coach, Sri Lanka need more than just two men to step up this time.

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Squads

BangladeshMashrafe Mortaza (c), Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah, Imrul Kayes, Anamul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Abul Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mohammad Mithun, Sunzamul Islam

Sri LankaAngelo Mathews (c), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Shehan Madushanka, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan, Wanidu Hasaranga