How to Bet on Sri Lanka’s tour of Bangladesh - A Comprehensive Guide

Sri Lanka are currently on tour in Bangladesh for a full series, comprising three T20Is and as many ODIs, along with two Tests that are part of the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle. 

The month-long tour began with a thrilling T20I series in Sylhet that was decided when Sri Lanka defended 174 to win the third T20I and clinch the series 2-1. The caravan now moves to Chattogram for the three ODIs from March 13-18 before we wind down the tour with two Tests, one apiece in Sylhet and Chattogram.

1. The multi-format nature of the tour presents a great opportunity for cricket fans of all vintage to wager on the series.

2. Key factors include conditions where the games are played. Dew courtesy of the receding winter often makes it tougher for teams to grip the ball at the back end of a match late at night. This could make the toss extremely vital, particularly for the ODIs. It gives a distinct advantage to the chasing team since spinners will struggle to bowl with a wet ball. This, in turn, puts the onus on the side batting first to recalibrate their scores and aim for 30-40 runs above par.

3. The other big factor is the pitch, which will then have a bearing on the composition of the bowling attack. On dry surfaces, especially in Tests, Bangladesh tend to field at least three spinners in their starting XI.

4. While betting, follow all legal obligations by choosing a licensed sports book. Ensure you set betting limits to protect your money in case things go out of hand. Play safe, play responsibly.

In Shakib Al Hasan’s absence due to an eye condition, Bangladesh handed the all-format captaincy to Najmul Hossain Shanto. Sri Lanka missed their designated captain, Wanindu Hasaranga, who had to miss the first two games to serve an ICC ban. Hasaranga was sanctioned for publicly criticizing a match official during the home series against Afghanistan last month, which was a clear violation of the ICC code of conduct.

Bangladesh had an excellent run coming into the series, having tied the T20I series against New Zealand in New Zealand in December. Prior to that, they beat Afghanistan, Ireland, and England on home soil. Then, they had a long Bangladesh Premier League season that helped several players in the squad pitch for a berth, keeping the T20 World Cup in mind.

Sri Lanka took an early lead in the series after sensationally defending 12 off the final over in defense of 206. The match came down to the last ball, with Taskin Ahmed needing a four to tie and six to win; he couldn’t connect as Dasun Shanaka, the former Sri Lanka captain, held his composure under pressure. That Sri Lanka posted a daunting score was thanks to half-centuries from Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama, while Charith Asalanka lent the finishing touches by slamming six sixes in an unbeaten 44 off 21 balls.

Shanto helped Bangladesh level the series with a sprightly half-century in the second T20I that helped them chase down 166 with eight wickets to spare. That Sri Lanka posted what they did was courtesy of a half-century stand from Angelo Mathews and Dasun Shank after the middle order caved in.

In the series decider, Sri Lanka found a new star in fast bowler Nuwan Thusara. His five-for, which included a hat-trick, helped defend 174. The other big star for Sri Lanka was Kusal Mendis, who struck 86 off 55 balls. Bangladesh had a few positives too, most notably leg spinner Rishad Hossain, who first picked up 2 for 53 with the ball and then made a quick-fire 30-ball 53 at No. 8. With a bit more support from the other batters, Bangladesh may have been in with a shout at clinching the series.

We’ve touched upon conditions and pitches as massive factors. Another aspect to consider is the recent form as we head into the ODI series. In February, Sri Lanka blanked Afghanistan 3-0 in the ODI series at home. In comparison, Bangladesh had a tougher challenge away in New Zealand, where they showed character in bouncing back from a 2-0 deficit to take the final ODI, with the series finishing 2-1. Having bowled New Zealand out for 98, Bangladesh romped to an eight-win consolation win.

Player availability is another factor. Matheesha Pathirana, who was the leading wicket-taker during that series against Afghanistan, is likely to miss the ODIs because of a hamstring injury. This considerably weakens Sri Lanka’s pace attack. They’d hope Thushara is able to come in as a like-for-like replacement if required.

Bangladesh have a number of players in their squad coming off an outstanding BPL season. Towhid Hridoy and Litton Das were second and third in the run charts, aggregating 462 and 391 runs, respectively. While the format is different, that they’re in top form bodes well for Bangladesh who go in as favorites at home.

The nature of the formats - ODIs and Tests left - allows for different types of bets and several combinations of bets one can place. Here, we try and list a few of them you can wager on.

As the name suggests, this simply involves picking a match winner. Other variations of this can include winner of the toss, the team that hits the most sixes, the team that plays most dot balls, hits most singles etc. Factor in pitches, team form, player availability and injuries while picking a winner.

Those in the first three on each side may have a better chance to top this list. However, consider which among all of them is a sure starter in the lineup and also factor in the ones whose places are under doubt.

This simply means betting on a range of runs one particular team will score in an innings. Or you could look at the runs a team scores in the power play, or in the death overs if you are data driven.

This is a very popular punt for several top sports books, where predictions ranging from bowlers with best economy rate, batter with best strike rate, bowler with most dot balls, batter with most boundaries etc are made. It’s a fun way of locking in your involvement in a particular match. 

Often matches can be won or lost in a session. A team that loses seven wickets in a session after dominating one full day may well go on to lose a Test. Such are the vagaries of Test cricket. Who batted the most minutes? Who scored at what strike rate in a given session? As the Test progresses, in conditions such as the subcontinent, spinners increasingly become a threat. So which spinner picked up most wickets in a particular passage? These are all obviously engaging ways of betting and following a game, but you need to be able to dissect strategy through available data and past history to make the right call.

Make sure that you never go overboard and the best way to do that is by setting personal betting limits. This way, your experience can be enjoyable and safe. One little mistake often leads to a chain reaction and that can spoil your wagering experience. Also, make sure you choose a licensed operator in your region for all bets.