Bangladesh face SL in search of ODI groove

Bangladesh will take on Sri Lanka in the first ODI of the three-match series at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today, hoping to avenge the series loss in the Twenty20s and also regain their groove in the 50-over format.

The Tigers have considered ODIs as their strongest format but since 2023, Bangladesh's record in 50-overs cricket has been poor.

The hosts conceded a 2-1 series defeat to England in March, which ended their seven series winning streak in home ODIs. It was also their second ODI series defeat at home since 2016.

The team then racked up two series wins over Ireland at home and away, but after that their misery in ODIs continued as they lost home series to Afghanistan and New Zealand, then finished eighth in the ICC ODI World Cup in India and ended the year with another series defeat to the Kiwis, this time in New Zealand.

Bangladesh would be hoping for a new beginning in ODIs under the new full-time skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto.

"We played really good cricket from 2015 to 2022. We had one bad year, which can happen. But it's crucial that we bounce back as a team this year," Shanto said in the pre-match press conference yesterday.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka finally announced their ODI squad yesterday, making eight changes from the T20I side. The experienced Angelo Mathews has been left out and Nuwan Thushara, who claimed a five-wicket haul in the fifth T20I, was also not considered for the ODIs.

Pathum Nissanka, who missed the T20is owing to an injury, returns alongside pacer Lahiru Kumara and all-rounder Dunith Wellalage. The hosts earlier lost the T20I series 2-1 in Sylhet, where tension between the teams was palpable.