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The Super 4 of the Asia Cup 2023 is going on. Sri Lanka, the host, will face off against Bangladesh tomorrow at Premadasa Stadium. Bangladesh have already lost their first game in the Super 4, as they lost to Pakistan. However, Sri Lanka will start their journey tomorrow in the Super 4.
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Sri Lanka have been unstoppable in recent days. They are unbeaten in their last 12 games in ODI format. The Lankans are on the verge of making history. If they can beat Bangladesh tomorrow, they will become the second-longest winning streak team in the history of ODI Cricket. Mighty Australia currently holds the record of winning 21 ODI games in a row in 2003. Sri Lanka have now tied with Pakistan with 12 unbeaten games.
However, Sri Lanka won all their games in the group stage. They could have been eliminated if they had not defeated Afghanistan in a dramatic game. It was a very close match between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, but Sri Lanka secured a thrilling victory by two wickets in the end to book their place in the Super 4.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh have been very inconsistent in this Asia Cup. They have already lost to Sri Lanka in their opening game in this tournament. But Bangladesh made a strong comeback in their second game, winning against Afghanistan by 89 runs. Unfortunately, they lost to Pakistan brutally in their first game of the Super 4. The Bengal Tigers are now aiming to get back on the winning track with the match against Sri Lanka tomorrow.
Team News
Injury has been a massive concern for Bangladesh. Pacer Ebadat Hossain was ruled out of the squad due to an injury. Now, Najmul Hossain Shanto got injured. He has been the top scorer for Bangladesh in Asia Cup 2023. Unfortunately, he has got a hamstring injury and returned to his home.
There is a possibility that Anamul Haque could get a chance to replace Shanto. If he plays tomorrow, Mehedi Hasan Miraz will return to the 8th position for batting. Besides, Sri Lanka is likely to keep the same squad that beat Afghanistan.
Players to Watch
Matheesha Pathirana: Matheesha Pathirana has been one of the key bowlers for Sri Lanka. His unique bowling action surprises the opponents very much. He is the top wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023, taking five wickets in just two games.
Chandika Hathurusinghe, the head coach of Bangladesh, is well aware of Matheesha. “Where Matheesha releases the ball is very different from others. It’s something that many cricket teams cannot prepare for. That in itself is an advantage because you don’t get to practice against that kind of bowler much. Malinga was very successful, and I think Matheesha has a big future,” Chandika Hathurusinghe stated.
Mushfiqur Rahim: Mushfiqur Rahim is known as the Mr. Dependable and has a very impressive batting average. In his last ten innings, Mushfiqur Rahim scored 458 with an average of 57.25. If he can stay longer on the wicket, the chances of winning the game will increase for Bangladesh.
