Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka T20I: New Captains & New Challenges

This is the rivalry. One that invokes the ‘win at all cost’ mentality, one that sets tempers fraying and has match referees hooked. Welcome to the latest installment of cricket’s newest rivalry: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, beginning with the T20I series, which has the added context of being a key builder for the T20 World Cup this May-June in the Caribbean and USA.

Bangladesh are playing under a new captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, having seemingly moved on from Shakib Al Hasan for the moment. Shanto is the all-format captain, which has become a rarity among international teams.

His first challenge will be building on an impressive T20I record over the past 12 months, including series wins at home against England, Ireland, and Afghanistan. They also did something never done before – recording a T20I win in New Zealand last December.

So, this is clearly a team on an upswing despite all their off-field challenges, like the disbanding of the previous selection committee and the tiff between Shakib and Tamim Iqbal, among other things. 

Sri Lanka, too, have a new leader in Wanindu Hasaranga, who was put to the test by Afghanistan at home. But he won’t be available for the first two games because of a ban following his outburst against the umpiring during the Afghanistan series. Sri Lanka, therefore, have a massive void to fill almost immediately.

Batting lynchpin Pathum Nissanka also misses out because of injury. How they overcome the loss of two key personnel will form the crux of how they fare in the series.

Towhid Hridoy had a breakthrough Bangladesh Premier League, as did Mahmudullah. These two players have injected some much-needed firepower into the middle order that will be without Shakib. Hridoy’s 462 runs came at a strike rate of close to 150 for the Comilla Victorians, who missed the finals berth.

Shoriful Islam overcame a form slump to finish the BPL as the leading wicket-taker, picking 22 scalps. He’ll be the leader of the seam attack. Man to man, Bangladesh have the personnel not just to challenge Sri Lanka but also to win, especially in Hasaranga’s absence. Rarely does it happen that the Bangladesh squad gets exhaustive T20 preparation leading into a series.

The BPL has precisely given them that and much more. Six weeks of competitive cricket has to count for something. Bangladesh will, for a change, start as favorites. They’ll need to keep their emotions in check, though.