Sabbir Hossain :Bangladesh team led by experienced Mashrafe Bin Mortaza will meet mighty Sri Lankan team led by Dinesh Chandimal today in the first Twenty20 International match at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong. The shorter version cricket competition begins at 5.00 pm BST (Bangladesh Standard Time).State-owned television channel Bangladesh Television will telecast the match live from the stadium.Besides, Maasranga Television, a private satellite channel will also telecast the game.It is a tough task for Bangladesh to win over Sri Lanka because the islanders are the No-1 T20 team in the world, according to the latest ranking of International Cricket Council (ICC).Before today’s match, Bangladesh faced Sri Lanka in two Twenty20 matches. Of them, Sri Lanka won all the two outings.Marking the ensuing Twenty20 match, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka took part in the full-fledged practice sessions.It is mentionable that wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim can not take part in the two Twenty20 matches against Sri Lanka due to injury. The second and last Twenty20 match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka scheduled to be held at the same venue on February 14.Mashrafe Bin Mortaza said, “We feel that we are missing Mushfiqur Rahim. Mushfiqur is very trouble-free in front of wicket and also behind the wicket. We usually play better in the shorter version cricket. Our team members are eager to face Sri Lanka. The World Twenty20 will be held in our country and Sri Lanka are the No-1 team. So, it is a dress rehearsal for us to play against Sri Lanka.”On the other hand, experienced batsman of Sri Lanka Tillakaratne Dilshan said, “Every single game now important for us before the World Cup. We have to get prepared with the conditions and weather.”A website said: The surface of Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium will be flat once again. Bangladesh team (Probable) : Tamim Iqbal, Shamsur Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan Mominul Haque, Mithun Ali (Wicketkeeper), Nasir Hossain, Mahmudullah Riyad/Sabbir Rahman, Farhad Reza, Shohag Gazi, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (Captain), Arafat Sunny. Sri Lanka (probable) : Kushal Perera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal (Captain & Wicketkeeper), Angelo Mathews, Seekuge Prasanna/Angelo Perera, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachitra Senanayake, Lasith Malinga.
