Tigers head for Lahore to salvage Asia Cup campaign

Bangladesh cricket team left Kandy for Colombo early on Friday Morning and are scheduled to take a chartered flight to Lahore in Pakistan with their Asia Cup campaign hanging in the balance.

The men in red and green suffered a five-wicket defeat to co-hosts Sri Lanka in Group B's opening fixture on Thursday, with the Tigers' net run-rate taking a heavy toll as the Lankans cruised to the 165-run victory target with 11 overs to spare.

Now the team need to beat Afghanistan in their final match of the group on Sunday to stay alive in the competition.

Shakib Al Hasan and Co left the team hotel in Kandy quietly, avoiding media before boarding the Colombo-bound bus. They will fly to Pakistan on a chartered flight later in the day, and will have just a day for practice in Lahore before taking on the Afghans in a do-or-die clash.

While a win will keep them alive, the Tigers will have to be mindful of the net run-rate too because if Afghanistan beat Sri Lanka in the group's final match on September 5, all three teams will have equal points, with the two best finishers progressing on net run rate. However, if Afghanistan lose against both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the latter two will progress.