BSS, Sylhet :
Tigers looking to restore some of their lost pride as they face visiting Sri Lanka in the second and final T20I of the series scheduled to be held today (Sunday) at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
The match kicks off at 5 pm.
Despite scoring their highest T20I total of 193 for five in the first match, the Tigers failed to defend the total as they were beaten by six wickets by the Lankans, whose highest successful chase in the shortest format produced to 1-0 lead in the tour-ending series.
Nothing is going well with the Tigers and this time it was the bowling that caused the concern for skipper Mahmudullah Riyad. Despite the unsupportive surface, the Tigers’ bowlers were unable to apply any sort of pressure and bowled a poor line and length which allowed the Islanders to chase the massive target without any trouble. Mahmudullah also focused on the bowlers missing their lengths after the loss in the first match.
Only left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam among the four debutants– the other three being Zakir Hasan, Afif Hossain and Ariful Haque — was shine with ball as he able to make an impact in the game in his four overs that conceded just 25 runs for two wickets.
Young all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin proved expensive once again after the medium-pacer conceded 33 runs from his two overs while the pacers Mustafizur Rahman and Rubel Hossain were not up to the mark of their performance.
The Tigers will must have to work on it to at least earn something in the last match after the losing both the tri-nation ODI and two-match Test series.
Musfhfiqur Rahim recovered from a wrist problem to play the first T20I and batting at number three for the first time, he scored his highest score in the format with an unbeaten 66 off 44 balls. Southpaw opener Tamim Iqbal, who missed the first match due to his injury problem, is expected to play final match against Sri Lanka.
Another Southpaw opener Soumya Sarkar, backed in the side strongly, scoring his maiden 50 after being dropped from the ODI and Test squads following the South Africa tour. The Tigers fans also expecting the same performance from him in the second match.
But nevertheless, Bangladesh will miss the service of most experienced all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who sustained little finger injury during the final of the tri-series last month. The selectors kept the 16-member unchanged squad for the second match.
On the other hand Sri Lanka registered an easy 6-wicket victory in the first T20I against Bangladesh and have ensured that they cannot lose the series.
The morale of the visitors will be high considering the form that they have been in, especially with the bat. Chasing a massive total of 193 in the first T20I, Sri Lanka managed to pull off an easy victory in just 16.3 overs and worked Bangladesh bowlers easily.
The Dinesh Chandimal-led side can also take pride in the fact that their top order comprising of Kusal Mendis and Danushka Gunathilaka are in good form. The Tigers are bound to have a tough task at hand against the opposition.
Squads:
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah (captain), Sabbir Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Abu Hider Rony, Abu Jayed, Ariful Haque, Mehdi Hasan, Zakir Hasan, Afif Hossain and Nazmul Islam.
Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal(captain), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Thisara Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Dasun Shanaka, Isuru Udana, Shehan Madushanka, Jeffrey Vandersay, Akila Dananjaya, Amila Aponso, Jeevan Mendis, Asitha Fernando and Kusal Mendis.
