Daijiworld Media Network

Dhaka, Mar 6: Bangladesh, still smarting from the Afridi assault, will eye redemption as they square up against familiar opponents in Sri Lanka. The men from the emerald isle have lorded over Bangladesh, having swept the ODI and T20 series aside from clinching the Test series 1-0 in the lead up to the Asia Cup. Can the hosts finally break their jinx and upstage Sri Lanka for a consolation win? Bangladesh though will have to be wary of a certain run-machine- Kumar Sangakkara.

It will be interesting to view if the table toppers test out their bench strength since this duel has been rendered a dead rubber. Senanayake returns to the team after missing the previous fixture because of family reasons.

Bangladesh have won the toss and have opted to bat.

Mathews: 'I am happy to bowl. We we were anyways looking to bowl first. Chandimal is not playing. Ashan Priyanjan comes in. Lasith Malinga is rested. He is our premier bowler. We need to manage him. Senanayake comes back'.

Rahim: 'We are going to have a bat first. Hopefully the batsmen will do the job and then the bowlers have to back up. We will have to bat well in the first 15 overs. Imrul is injured. Shamsur comes back. Rubel and Sunny are also in for Shafiul and Razzak.'

Teams

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Kushal Janith Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara(w), Mahela Jayawardene, Ashan Priyanjan, Angelo Mathews(c), Chaturanga de Silva, Thisara Perera, Sachithra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Suranga Lakmal

Bangladesh (Playing XI): Shamsur Rahman, Anamul Haque(w), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim(c), Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Mahmudullah, Ziaur Rahman, Arafat Sunny, Rubel Hossain, Al-Amin Hossain

Match Preview

On a rampaging run with three wins in as many matches, table-toppers Sri Lanka will look to continue their unbeaten streak when they take on a demoralised Bangladesh in an inconsequential one-dayer of the Asia Cup on Thursday.

Four-time champions, Sri Lanka cruised into the finals of the Asia Cup, riding on their invincible run in the tournament where they defeated Pakistan, India and Afghanistan in their last three matches. Bangladesh, on the other hand, have been winless in the tournament and are languishing at the bottom of the points table.

The hosts lost to India in their tournament-opener but it was the moral-shattering defeat against minnows Afghanistan which hurt them most.

However, the Bengal tigers came out firing on all cylinders against Pakistan Tuesday, posting a record total of 326 for three, only to see Shahid Afridi blow away their hopes with a blistering 25-ball 59.

Bangladesh will now play for pride when they clash with Sri Lanka, and would look to take some positives from the last night's match and repeat a similar show with the bat.

Bangladesh's top and middle order fired in unison against Pakistan yesterday as Anamul Haque, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque and skipper Rahim piled up agony on the bowlers at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

However, it will be a difficult task to tame the four-time champions who have been simply magnificent so far in the tournament.

Kumar Sangakkara has been in the form of his life as he blasted scores of 67, 103 and 76 in the last three innings and Bangladesh will have to get rid off the left-hand batsman at the earliest to salvage any hope of a win.

Kusal Perera and Angelo Matthews are the other two batsmen who too have contributed with a bat, scoring a half century each in the tournament so far. For Bangladesh, skipper Rahim has led from the front, scoring 191 runs, including a 117 against India, while Anamul, too, have been solid at the top, scoring a century and a half century in three innings.

Mominul Haque have also contributed with the bat and ball, scoring 124 runs including a half century and taking three wickets in the series so far. On the other hand, Bangladesh's bowling has not been up to the mark and they will have to come up with a much better show if they have to stop the Sri Lanka's juggernaut.

Sri Lanka do have to worry about their bowling unit as their main strike pace and spin duo of Lasith Malinga and Ajanta Mendis have given the team breakthroughs, snapping six and seven wickets, respectively so far.