DHAKA, March 8, 2024 (BSS)- Bangladesh will be looking to seal their first 
ever T20 series against Sri Lanka when they take on the Island nation in the 
third and final match at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium tomorrow 
(Saturday).
 
The match starts at 3.30 PM and will be aired live on T-sports and Gazi 
Television.

The series is locked at 1-1 at this moment. Sri Lanka edged Bangladesh past 
by three wickets following a thrilling contest in the first match while the 
hosts took a sweet revenge in the second game, thrashing the visitors by 
eights in comprehensive fashion.

This is the first time that the two nations are playing a three-match 
bilateral T20 series. In the past, they had faced off in three bilateral 
series, all of which Sri Lanka won. In 2013, when Sri Lanka hosted 
Bangladesh, they played a single match T20 series which the hosts won by 17 
runs.

Bangladesh later hosted Sri Lanka for two-match T20 series in 2014 and the 
visitors won all those two matches by two runs and three wickets 
respectively.

Bangladesh again hosted Sri Lanka in 2018 for two-match T20 series. Sri Lanka 
beat the hosts by six wickets and 75 runs respectively to sweep the series.

With Sri Lanka winning the cliffhanger to start the series, things looked 
ominous for Bangladesh. But the Tigers which haven't lost a T20 series since 
2022 came back strongly in the second game, leaving the third game a decider 
one. By doing so, they had also won their first T20 against Sri Lanka in a 
bilateral series between the two sides.

Overall Bangladesh won five and lost 10 in the 15 matches between the two 
sides in this format.

While Bangladesh won a series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), World 
Champions England, Afghanistan and Ireland after 2022, they held New Zealand 
for a draw in away series to prove that they are no longer a vulnerable side 
in this format.

With T20 World Cup in the United States of America(USA) and West Indies 
approaching fast, a series victory against the Lankans will be a huge booster 
for them.

After losing the first match, Bangladesh played a near perfect game in the 
second game with Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto leading from the front. Shanto 
hammered a 38 ball-53 not out to sail the side home and in doing so, he hit 
back to form, which was a concern for Bangladesh after a horribly poor 
Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) outing.

The Bangladesh bowlers also bowled well to restrict Sri Lanka in a moderate 
total. In fact, according to Shanto, the bowlers did a praiseworthy job to 
help them get a favourable result in the match.

He specially was all praise for legspinner Rishad Hossain who shone in 
impeccably despite limited game time in domestic circuit. 

"He [Rishad] has certainly improved and his length is good and he can 
consistently bowl in one area and is also working on his variations. The way 
he is bowling, if he can keep that up, he can bowl even better in the coming 
days," Shanto said.

According to Shanto, the bowlers' performance will be key again in the 
deciding game.

Bangladesh hardly have any chance to tinker with their squad. In the last two 
matches, they fielded same squad and things looked likely that they will 
retain that squad again.

Sri Lanka brought up a change in the second game, brining in pacer Dilshan 
Madushanka, replacing spinner Akila Dananjaya. They are likely to bring up a 
change in the third game too.
 
T20 Squad

Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Liton Das, Anamul Haque Bijoy, 
Naim Sheikh, Towhid Hridoy, Soumya Sarkar, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Mahmudullah 
Riyad, Taijul Islam, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, 
Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Jakir Ali Anik
 
Sri Lanka: Wanindu Hasaranga (capt for last game), Charith Asalanka (capt for 
first two games), Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun 
Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Dilshan 
Madushanka, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Akila Dananjaya, Binura 
Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Avishka Fernando and Jeffrey Vandersay.