It will be a test of pride for Bangladesh after losing the first two of the three match ODI series as the home side will be looking to avoid the whitewash when they face Sri Lanka at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today.
After losing the first one day horribly by 13 runs and the second match by 61, the home side will be facing the visitors without their three experience cricketers - Mahela Jayawardene already out of the ODI series while Tillakaratne Dilshan was also ruled out from the ODI series for his hand injury will be returning home and Kumar Sangakkra will be rested for today’s match.
Sri Lanka has not been without any of them in an ODI since Sangakkara made his debut in 2000 which gives the home side a great opportunity to go into the Asia Cup with some positives as Bangladesh badly needs a win to recover from their mental blockade.
However the Tigers are yet to display proper cricket throughout the series and the main concern would be their fielding and especially catching.
Another concern would be the batting department as there was no big partnerships throughout the series and giving wickets at crucial times cost them badly where the best example would be the horrible batting disaster in the first ODI.
Nasir Hossain and Mahmudullah had a poor series so far, with Nasir scoring thirty and Mahmudullah scoring only one run in the first two matches against Sri Lanka, leaving the home side vulnerable in the dying stages in both games.
Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim scored 79 runs in the second match but did not get any support from the other, raising questions as to why a senior player like Shakib al Hasan unnecessarily tried to hit the ball out of the park after hitting two boundaries at a crucial stage, when Bangladesh needed the left hander to carry on with maturity.
Sohag Gazi in the bowling department has been below average as he is only taken two wickets in the two games, while being expensive.
Bangladesh have not lost an ODI home series since 2011, and their fans have been disappointed in that light – especially since the Tigers performed well in the two T20 games and the first ODI.
Meanwhile Tamim Iqbal who missed the first two ODI for his neck strain, is likely to play today as the left hander looked comfortable yesterday when he was knocking during the practice session but Mashrafe Mortaza is still in doubt and his fitness will be assessed before the start of the match.
However it is almost sure that Mahmudullah will be replaced by Naeem Islam after his poor showing in the first two matches.
Bangladesh probable: Shamsur Rahman, Anamul Haque (wk), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Naeem Islam, Nasir Hossain, Mahmudullah, Sohag Gazi, Arafat Sunny, Mashrafe Mortaza/Al-Amin Hossain, Rubel Hossain
Sri Lanka probable: Kusal Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Ashan Priyanjan, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Angelo Mathews (capt), Thisara Perera, Angelo Perera Sachitra Senanayake, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis