Bangladesh cricket team reached Colombo on Monday evening for their 45-day long tour of the island nation
In their first bilateral tour of Sri Lanka in four years, Bangladesh will begin their campaign with a two-day warm-up game against local opposition in Moratuwa, starting this Thursday.
The last time Bangladesh toured the Pearl Island for a bilateral series, in 2013, they played two Test matches, three ODIs and one T20I. The Tigers returned home with a solitary win, in the third and final ODI in Pallekele, where the visiting side prevailed by three wickets in a rain-affected game.
In the longer version leg of the tour, the Tigers made a flying start, drawing in Galle following superlative efforts from Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Ashraful and Nasir Hossain.
As far as Bangladesh are concerned, the time is perhaps just right to travel to Sri Lanka. With the home side in transition, the Tigers will be expected to make the most of the opportunity. In the recent past, Sri Lanka saw many of their senior cricketers head into retirement. Those spaces are yet to be filled by suitable replacements.
On top of that, the home side will miss regular captain and allrounder Angelo Mathews, who is yet to recover from a hamstring injury.
The series begins with the two-match Test series. The first Test will be held in Galle, starting next Tuesday. The action will then move to capital city Colombo for the second and final Test at P Sara Oval.
P Sara Oval will host its first Test since 2015. The venue is iconic, given that it had hosted Sri Lanka’s first ever Test, against England in 1982. The second Test will also have extra significance in that it will be Bangladesh’s 100th five-dayer.
Dambulla will then host the first two ODIs, on March 25 and 28 respectively while Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo will hold the third and final ODI on April 1.
The two T20Is will be played at Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on April 4 and 6 respectively.