Bangladesh are staring down the barrel of a series defeat as they take on hosts Sri Lanka in the second T20 of the three-match series tomorrow at the Dambulla International Cricket Stadium. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM Bangladesh time.
Following a seven-wicket loss in the opening game, the visitors find themselves in a ‘do-or-die’ scenario. That defeat extended Bangladesh’s losing streak in T20 Internationals to six matches, exposing persistent issues in their batting performance — particularly the inability to capitalise on starts.
Execution and Conversion: The Missing Pieces
Bangladesh’s bowling coach, Mushtaq Ahmed, pinpointed the lack of big individual scores as a core problem.
“When a batsman is in form and gets to 30 or 40, the challenge is to convert that into 70s and 80s,” said the former Pakistan leg-spinner. “That’s what Kusal Mendis did — he made a match-winning 73 and took the game away from us. We need one of our batsmen to do the same.”
Parvez Hossain Emon provided Bangladesh with a promising start in the first T20, smashing 38 off 22 balls. However, his dismissal sparked another middle-order stumble, with the Tigers ultimately restricted to 154-5 — a target Sri Lanka chased down with an over to spare. Mendis starred for the hosts, crafting a fluent 73 from 51 deliveries, while Pathum Nissanka launched a blistering 42 off just 16 balls to dismantle the Bangladesh bowling early.
Mushtaq also criticised the team’s repeated failure to execute in crunch moments. “Shamim showed positive intent with that reverse-sweep six,” he noted. “But to post a winning score, someone must bat deep. Without execution at key moments, we can’t expect to win on testing pitches.”
Injury Concerns and Squad Rotation
Bangladesh may look to shuffle the pack for the second game. Jaker Ali Anik missed the opener with a quadriceps injury but could return if passed fit. Left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, omitted from the first match, may also be recalled to bolster the bowling unit.
Likely XIs
Bangladesh Squad:
Liton Das (Captain), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Naim Sheikh, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali Anik, Shamim Patwari, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mohammad Saifuddin.
Sri Lanka Squad:
Charith Asalanka (Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Avishka Fernando, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando, Eshan Malinga.
Bangladesh will need more than just flashes of brilliance to level the series — they need a complete performance. With confidence low and the pressure high, Sunday night could define their summer.