BANGLADESH VS. SRI LANKA: SL’S TOUR OF BAN 2021, 2nd ODI | MATCH PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
Hosts Bangladesh take on Sri Lanka in the second ODI of the 3-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Tuesday afternoon. It is part of the ICC ODI Super League.
Bangladesh won the first ODI match comfortably by 33 runs and are currently 1-0 up in this 3-match series. They will look to continue their dominance and seal the series here. Sri Lanka did not have a good start to the tour and must win this match to stay alive in the series, or else they might end up losing their first series against Bangladesh.
Despite their victory, Bangladesh are left with few questions and will look to correct them in this match. Fifties from skipper Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah took the hosts to a good total of 257 runs on a tough track. Afif Hossain scored some quick runs in the end overs. Mehidy Hasan was the star with the ball as he picked up 4 wickets and was well supported by pacers Mustafizur and Saifuddin, who took 3 and 2 wickets respectively. Liton Das is under pressure to prove himself and might lose his spot in the playing XI.
After bowling reasonably well and restricting Bangladesh to a par score, Sri Lanka's batting failed to apply themselves and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Someone from the top order was needed to anchor the innings and score big but it was not to be. Hasaranga played a fighting knock of 74 runs with some support from Udana and Shanaka, but ended up short of taking his team over the line. Dananjaya was the pick of the bowlers with Chameera, Sandakan and Gunathilaka chipping in with a wicket each. Expect the same team in this match too.
Bangladesh have started the series well and also have a good recent record in their home matches. On the other hand, Sri Lanka played well in patches but will need to bat more responsibly here. Expect them to fight hard and keep the series alive at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium on Tuesday.
Match Details
- Match: Bangladesh vs. Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI
- Venue: Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
- Date & Time: May 25, 2021, at 12.30 PM IST
Probable Playing XI
Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal (C), Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (WK), Mahmudullah, Mohammad Mithun, Afif Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman
Sri Lanka
Kusal Perera (C/WK), Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Ashen Bandara, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Isuru Udana, Dushmantha Chameera
Weather and Pitch Report
Mirpur is expected to have cloudy conditions with a possibility of rain on the day of the match. The temperature will be around 30 degrees during the game.
The pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium is a balanced wicket and the outfield is lightning fast. There is not much for the pace bowlers on this surface, who will have to rely on variations here. Spinners will get turn from the surface, especially in the first innings. The average first-innings score in the last five ODIs played here has been 195 runs.
Given the dew factor, bowling second on this track would be difficult. Moreover, 4 of the last 5 matches have been won by the team batting second. So expect the captain winning the toss to opt to bowl first on this track. A target of 260-270 can be a competitive one.
Top Fantasy Picks
- Tamim Iqbal continued his good form with the bat and scored 52 runs off 70 balls in the first ODI. The conditions were tough at the start but he played a steady innings and put up a solid platform for the middle order to capitalize on. He will look to make a big score here.
- Shakib Al Hasan had a decent match with bowling figures of 1/44 in his 10 overs and 15 runs with the bat. He looked a little rusty in the middle after all the isolation time before the match. Expect him to play a big role coming in at No.3 and with the ball here.
- Mehidy Hasan dismissed 4 of the top 6 batsmen of Sri Lankan order in the first ODI and had figures of 4/30 in his 10 overs. He took the new ball and unsettled the visitors’ batting unit right from the start. He will look to continue his excellent form with the ball in this match too.
- Danushka Gunathilaka was impressive in the ODI series against the West Indies, scoring 55, 96 and 36 runs in the three matches. He is one of the experienced players in this new-looking squad and will be looking to continue his good form at the top of the order.
- Dhananjaya de Silva did his best to exploit the good bowling conditions in the first match. He took 3/45 in his 10 overs, including the key wickets of Tamim and Mahmudullah. He has a decent batting record, with 8 half centuries and an average of 25.11 after 46 ODIs.
Wanindu Hasaranga played a superb knock of 74 runs off 60 balls, which included 3 fours and 5 sixes. Although he failed to pick up a wicket, he was pretty economical, giving away just 48 runs in his 10 overs. Expect him to put in a much more all-round performance in this match.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: M Rahim
- Batsmen: T Iqbal, Mahmudullah, D Gunathilaka, P Nissanka
- All-rounders: Shakib Al Hasan, D de Silva, W Hasaranga
- Bowlers: M Rahman, M H-Miraz, M Saifuddin
- Captain: Shakib Al Hasan/M Saifuddin
- Vice Captain: D Gunathilaka/D de Silva
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can make your match prediction and play fantasy cricket matches. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.
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