Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Prediction: The team's performance in Asia Cup can come in handy in this game

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are going head to head in first warmup game of the World Cup 2023 at ACA Stadium, Kamrup Metropolitan, India on 29th September. The team's performance in Asia Cup can come in handy in this game. Who will win this game?

During their tour of Sri Lanka in July of this year, the Bangladesh team faced off against the Sri Lankan Board President's XI at the P Sara Oval ground in Colombo. In this encounter, the SL Board President's XI took the batting initiative and posted a competitive total of 282 runs while losing 8 wickets. Bangladesh successfully chased down this target in 48.1 overs, securing a comfortable 5-wicket victory over the President's XI with 11 balls to spare.

Bangladesh's opening bowler, Rubel Hossain, made crucial contributions during the President's XI innings, dismissing Niroshan Dickwella and Oshada Fernando early in the game. The standout bowlers for Bangladesh were Rubel Hossain and Soumya Sarkar, both of whom claimed two wickets each, conceding 31 and 29 runs in 7 and 6 overs, respectively. Other Bangladesh bowlers, including Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, and Farhad Reza, also enjoyed success during the Sri Lankan innings.

In terms of batting, nearly all of Bangladesh's players made valuable contributions to the team's total. The top scorer for Bangladesh in this match was Mohammad Mithun, who compiled an impressive 91 runs from 100 balls, featuring 11 fours and 1 six. Mushfiqur Rahim was the second-highest run-scorer for Bangladesh, contributing 50 runs from 46 balls with 6 fours and 1 six. Additional noteworthy performances came from skipper Tamim Iqbal, who contributed 37 runs, and Mahmudullah, who added 33 runs from 37 balls, including 3 fours.

Shakib Al Hasan (C), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riad, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman

On June 15th, the Sri Lankan cricket team played their most recent warm-up match against the United States of America in Bulawayo. Sri Lanka opted to bat first in this encounter, accumulating a formidable total of 392 runs while losing 5 wickets during their allotted 50 overs. In response, the United States of America team struggled to get close to the target and was eventually bowled out for 194 runs in just 33.2 overs. Sri Lanka secured a convincing victory with a substantial margin of 198 runs.

Sri Lanka's innings received an initial boost from their opening pair, who contributed 39 runs for the first wicket. However, the real momentum for the Sri Lankan innings was provided by Dimuth Karunaratne and wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Mendis. Both players notched centuries and forged an impressive 191-run partnership for the second wicket, laying a strong foundation for Sri Lanka's imposing total. Dimuth Karunaratne amassed 111 runs from 100 balls, featuring 15 boundaries, while Kusal Mendis, known for his power hitting, accumulated 105 runs from 91 balls, which included 7 fours and 6 sixes. Charith Asalanka also made a notable contribution, scoring 62 runs from 37 balls, adorned with 5 fours and 4 sixes.

Dasun Shanaka, who captained the Sri Lankan team in this match, provided a late surge by smashing 61 runs from 30 balls, comprising 7 fours and 2 sixes. Unfortunately, the United States of America's batting order encountered immediate trouble at the start of their innings, with both openers departing when the scoreboard showed just 10 runs. Rajitha accounted for both dismissals. While several Sri Lankan bowlers made valuable contributions, Matheesha Pathirana stood out with 4 wickets from 6 overs, conceding 23 runs. Wanindu Hasaranga and Kasun Rajitha also claimed 2 wickets each, while Dushan Hemantha accounted for the only remaining wicket to fall to the Sri Lankan bowlers.

Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (C), Dhananjaya de Silva, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara, Matheesha Pathirana

The Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati has consistently provided favourable conditions for batsmen, earning its reputation as a paradise for them. The pitch is solid and even, allowing batsmen to have confidence in the bounce and play their shots without significant challenges. Batsmen should not face difficulties playing through the line of the ball. Consequently, the captain winning the toss may prefer to field first, intending to chase a target they can plan for. In the two one-day international games held at the Barsapara cricket ground in Guwahati, one match was won by the team batting first, and the other was won by the team batting second. This ground is known for high-scoring encounters, with both games witnessing scores of over 300 runs when the first team batted. Weather conditions for the match on September 29th are expected to be partly cloudy, with a possibility of thunderstorms during the game. The conditions may also be characterized by haziness and smoke, potentially impacting visibility. Light and variable winds are anticipated, and there is a 40% chance of rain.

When examining the historical record of these two teams against each other, Sri Lanka holds a significant advantage over Bangladesh. Additionally, they have performed well against Bangladesh in neutral venues. While the current mindset of the players is difficult to ascertain, Sri Lanka's recent track record suggests they are likely to win this match.