🏏ICC T20I Men's W C 2024: Match 15: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, Dallas🏏 - Page 4

In terms of the threads weaving into this game, both sides enter with a point to prove. For Sri Lanka, they suffered a minor humiliation at the hands of South Africa in their opening fixture. As for Bangladesh, as Isam points out in his comprehensive preview, they've had a pretty rotten 2024 losing a home series to Sri Lanka earlier this year as well as their warm-up series to hosts USA.

This game would also have been earmarked by both sides as a must-win pre-tournament, particularly in terms of qualifying chances for the Super Eight stage.

Saleque Sufi: "Match of Bangladesh for bouncing back and redeeming .They are definitely not the side that has been seen so far at the preparatory stage. The team has required quality and experience of turning around and winning .Hope Bangladesh appears with their A game today. On the other hand after the comprehensive defeat against South Africa in their first match Sri Lanka has no option but win today."

JJ: "tuning in from Sri Lanka, no rain here! :D" --- Pretty fortunate that JJ, it's been pretty wet all around as of late.

Bangladesh have won the toss and elected to field.

Wanindu Hasaranga: We don't mind batting first. We are going with two genuine fast bowlers and two genuine spinners, two seam bowling all rounders. It depends on the match situation on where I come out to bat.

Bangladesh have won the toss and have opted to field

Najmul Shanto: We would like to bowl first as we expect some seam and swing early on. Very important especially in this format, the top four have been doing a lot of hard work in the last few days. It looks a bit dry.

Bangladesh have won the toss and have opted to field

Bangladesh have won the toss and have opted to field

Wanindu Hasaranga: We don't mind batting first. We are going with two genuine fast bowlers and two genuine spinners, two seam bowling all rounders. It depends on the match situation on where I come out to bat.

Najmul Shanto: We would like to bowl first as we expect some seam and swing early on. Very important especially in this format, the top four have been doing a lot of hard work in the last few days. It (the pitch) looks a bit dry.

What to expect: There have been three games at this venue so far. All three provided varied results. There was a high-scoring game, a low-scoring one and the one last night saw both teams finish close to a par 160.

Teams:

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga(c), Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana

Bangladesh (Playing XI): Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das(w), Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib

Teams:

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga(c), Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana

Bangladesh (Playing XI): Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das(w), Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib

Pitch and Conditions: "It is the third game being played on this pitch. There is one shorter side at 61 meters, 70 on the other and 73 straight down. This pitch has plenty of bounce. This is fantastic and has played really well. It has been watered nicely. There is an even covering of grass and I don't see much of spin," reckons Waqar Younis and Natalie Germanos.