Bangladesh have won the toss and decided to bowl first in the third and final game of the three-match Twenty20 International series against Sri Lanka on Saturday at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium (SICS).
The match is scheduled to start at 3 pm (Bangladesh time).
The match has become a series decider as both teams claimed victory in one match each in the first two encounters.
In the first match, Bangladesh fell short by a mere three runs while chasing a daunting total of 206 runs. Despite impressive half-centuries from veteran Mahmudullah Riyad and newcomer Jaker Ali, Bangladesh faltered in the final stretch.
However, the tables turned in the following match as Bangladesh's disciplined bowling attack restricted Sri Lanka to a modest total, which they comfortably chased down, losing only two wickets with nearly two overs to spare.
“We are in a position to win this series, but to do that, we have to consider other factors,” Bangladesh's head coach, Chandika Hathurusingh, said ahead of the decisive clash.
“It is a day game. We are aware of those factors. If we execute our gameplan, we are giving ourselves the best chance to win the series. Having said that, Sri Lanka is a very good T20 team,” he added.
Bangladesh has never won a T20I series against Sri Lanka, making this a big opportunity for the Tigers to assert themselves in the shortest format of international cricket. A victory in the third T20I would instill confidence in the Bangladesh team ahead of their upcoming ODI series against the same opponent in Chattogram.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
