World T20 League 2024

Match 15: SL vs BAN

Preview 

On Saturday, Bangladesh will start their T20 World Cup campaign with a highly-anticipated match against Sri Lanka in the 15th group stage fixture of the tournament. The high-voltage encounter will be played at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.

Under the captaincy of Najmul Hossain Shanto, the biggest strength of the Bangladeshi bowling unit is experience. The Tigers possess the quality of the seasoned Shakib Al Hasan, and the wily spin duo of Mahedi Hasan and Taijul Islam can test any opposition batting lineup in the world during the middle overs. The seam bowling department also wears a good look, with Shoriful, Taskin, and Mustafizur in their ranks. Together, the trio can prove to be a lethal attack on any given day.

However, the concern for Bangladesh will be their batting, with experienced players like Litton Das, Najmul Shanto, Soumya Sarkar, and the skipper, Shakib himself, being terribly out of form. Towhid Hridoy, Tanzid Hasan, and Mahmudullah are under added pressure to put a decent total on the board for the Tigers.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, got a rude wake-up call at the beginning of their T20 World Cup campaign as they got thumped by South Africa by six wickets. In reply to their 77 runs, the Proteas managed to chase down the target in the 11th over with seven wickets in hand. The Lankans showed one of their most shambolic batting performances in recent history.

The venue at the Grand Prairie Stadium has offered some support to batters, so one might expect a decent fight from the Lankan batters. Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka, and Sadeera Samarawickrama are the ones expected to keep the scoreboard ticking, with the ball, and the onus will be on skipper Wanindu Hasaranga with his army of bowlers to keep the Bangladeshi batters in check.

Match Details

Match: SL vs BAN, 15th Match, Group D, World T20 League 2024

Date: Saturday, June 08, 2024

Time: 6:00 AM (Jun 08)

Venue: Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas

Pitch and Weather Report

At the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, the pitch is expected to slightly tilt in favour of the pacers with a bit of assistance from the surface for seam movement. Gradually, with the drying up of the moisture, the track will turn into a belter with even bounce, great for batting. The spinners might get some purchase here, with the ball holding up and turning, making life tougher for the batters in the middle overs. With that in mind, the toss winner would want to bowl first.

Weather forecast during the game in Dallas says no rain. Temperatures will remain at around 31°C. Moisture levels will rise to 51%, leading to a sticky feeling, and winds will move around at a pace of 14 km/h. It will be the perfect day for a game of cricket.

SL vs BAN Squads

SL: Kusal Mendis (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Dilshan Madushanka, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Dhananjaya de Silva

BAN: Litton Das (wk), Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Jaker Ali, Tanzid Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Tanvir Islam

SL vs BAN Probable Playing XIs

SL: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (WK), Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara

BAN: Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das (WK), Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman

Match Prediction

Taking into consideration the strengths and recent performances of both teams, it should be a tightly fought contest when the two teams meet on Saturday. But the scales could tilt slightly towards Sri Lanka, judging by the playing conditions in Dallas, which are expected to suit their style more than those of Bangladesh.

We are backing Sri Lanka to win this contest. 

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