cricket
Shanto omitted as BCB announces squad for Sri Lanka ODIs
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced a 15-member squad for the first and second ODI of the three-match series against Sri Lanka starting from May 23.
Najmul Hossain Shanto, who was number three in Bangladesh’s last ODI series at the home against the West Indies, was omitted from this squad.
Besides, injured right-arm pacers Rubel Hossain and Hasan Mahmud and spinner Taijul Islam were also sidelined from the main squad.
Read:Bangladesh-Sri Lanka ODI series: Tigers to play intrasquad game Thursday
Shanto hit his maiden Test ton in Bangladesh’s last tour of Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series. He also represented Bangladesh in eight ODIs but failed to impressed as he scored a total of 93 runs with the best innings of 29.
Taijul, however, will stay with the team as one of the four standby players. The other three standby players are— Naim Sheikh, Aminul Islam Biplob and Shohidul Islam.
“We played good cricket in the last home series against the West Indies. Now to keep that continuity intact, we announced a team including most of the players who played the last series,” Minhajul Abedin, the chief selector of BCB told the media.
“Along with the 15-member squad, we added four standby players considering the Covid-19 situation. We may need their service along the way,” he added.
With this series, Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman are set to make a comeback to the national team after a leave to play the Indian Premier League (IPL). Minhajul believes the inclusion of Shakib and Mustafizur will boost the confidence of the team.
“Shakib is our best player and whenever we have him it increases our confidence. They are playing the practice match. If they can have the confidence I think it will be good for us,” he further told the media.
Read:Bubble-fatigued Mustafizur lacks confidence
BCB has earlier included left-handed opener, Imrul Kayes, in the preliminary squad, but he was overlooked from the main squad.
The first match of the series will take place on May 23, while the other two games will be played on May 25 and 28 respectively. All the matches will be hosted at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Bangladesh squad for the first two Sri Lanka ODIs: Tamim Iqbal (Captain), Litton Das, Shakib al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Musaddek Hossain, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Shoriful Islam and Standby: Naim Sheikh, Taijul Islam, Shohidul Islam, Aminul Islam Biplob
Bangladesh-Sri Lanka ODI series: Tigers to play intrasquad game Thursday
Bangladesh national cricket team will play an intrasquad game Friday in Savar's BKSP – the only practice game to be played by the hosts ahead of the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka which starts on May 23 in Dhaka.
The visitors will also play a practice game at the same venue on Friday.
Bangladesh started preparing for this series on May 18. However, most parts of the first-day practice session got interrupted by the rain. However, the Tigers had a full-day practice Wednesday at the outdoor and indoor of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
In the intra-squad match, Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal will lead the BCB Red against T20 captain Mahmududllah Riayd's BCB Green. The match will start at 9:45am Thursday.
Tamim's team includes Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mustafizur Rahman. Mahmudullah's team contains the likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar and Taskin Ahmed.
Shakib and Mustafizur are set to return to the national side with the three-match ODI series. They last played for the Tigers in New Zealand earlier this year. After that, the players missed out on the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka as they took part in the Indian Premier League.
While the first match of the ODI series will take place on May 23, the remaining matches will be played on May 25 and 28. All the matches will be hosted at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Bubble-fatigued Mustafizur lacks confidence
Left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman clearly lacks confidence ahead of the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka starting from May 23 in Dhaka.
Mustafizur joined the team bio-bubble on Monday, but he only took the ball on Wednesday as the first day of practice camp was hit by the rain on Tuesday.
While talking to the media at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mustafizur expressed his concern over doing well after spending a lot of time in quarantine.
Read:Shakib, Mustafiz join national team ahead of SL series
He played his last game for the Rajasthan Royals in the truncated Indian Premier League (IPL) on May 2. Since then, he had been in bio-bubble in India and in Bangladesh along with the allrounder Shakib Al Hasan who also played the cash-rich league for Kolkata Knight Riders.
“I was in quarantine in India and after coming back home, I was also in quarantine for days,” Mustafizur said. “I just played one game and joined a practice session this month. We only get two more days of practice before the series takes place. Now everything depends on God.”
The left-arm pacer was unwilling to rush with his bowling on Wednesday as he just came out of the in-room quarantine. He only did some fitness work while being in the hotel.
“Bio-bubble is tough,” Mustafizur added. “It’s tough and not only for me but for all players. I just joined the practice cam and took the ball today (May 19). It may create pain in my hand (if I bowl much on the first day).”
Mustafizur did well for the Royals in India. He bagged eight wickets in seven games. Had not the Rajasthan fielders missed a few catches off his bowling, he might have taken more scalps.
The pacer believes that it won’t be tough for them to do well against the Sri Lankans. According to him, both teams are equal in the 50-over format though Sri Lankans have more reliance on the young players.
Bangladesh are set to miss the service of Rubel Hossain in this series as the right-hander has been suffering from a back injury since the New Zealand series earlier this year.
Read: BCB trying to relax quarantine rules for Shakib, Mustafiz
In the absence of Rubel, the onus will be on Mustafizur to lead the pace-bowling attack in this series. He will be accompanied by Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam and Mohamad Saifuddin. However, the final squad for the series is yet to be announced.
The Tigers are set to play an intra-squad 50-over game on May 20 at BKSP, Savar. The final squad is expected to be announced after this game.
While the first match of the series will take place on May 23, the remaining matches will be played on May 25 and 28 respectively. All the matches will be hosted at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Shakib, Mustafiz join national team ahead of SL series
With two days to complete a 14-day quarantine, Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman joined the national team practice camp Tuesday.
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are scheduled to lock horns in a three-match ODI series in Dhaka.
Both Shakib and Mustafizur returned home from India on May 6 and entered a 14-day institutional quarantine in two different hotels in the capital. BCB requested the Directorate General of Health Services to relax the quarantine but in an earlier response, they denied it.
Also read: BCB trying to relax quarantine rules for Shakib, Mustafiz
However, on the rain-hit first day of the camp, Shakib and Mustafizur got little time to hone their skill. Most of the time of the day’s practice plan, they were stuck in the dressing room.
Bangladesh included leg-spinner Aminul Islam Biplob in the squad, who was not part of the preliminary squad. Minhazul Abedin, the chief selector of BCB, told UNB that the leggy was added for the intra-squad practice game only. The practice game will take place at BKSP on May 20.
Ban Tech Ltd gets BCB media rights for $19 mln
The Ban Tech Limited has been given the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) media rights (satellite, digital OTT and DTH) for the National Team’s home series.
The agreement covers Bangladesh’s home matches between May 18, 2021, and Oct 5, 2023.
During this period, Tigers are scheduled to play seven Tests, 18 ODIs and 19 T20Is at home.
Read Shakib prefers DPL over PSL
Ban Tech Limited achieved the rights for US$19 million approximately.
Meanwhile, satellite television channels Gazi TV and T Sports have attained the rights from Ban Tech Limited to broadcast the matches of the upcoming ODI series between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The hosts will take on Sri Lanka for three ICC ODI Championship matches in Dhaka on May 23, 25 and 28.
Read BCB trying to relax quarantine rules for Shakib, Mustafiz
Greatest Football XI: Best Brazil Team of All Time
Five-time World Cup champion Brazil is the most successful footballing nation in the world. Brazil has also won a number of Copa America championships. Pele is the greatest footballer in Brazilian history. Many people believe that legend Pele is one of the reasons why football is so popular today. Brazil has produced an abundance of talented footballers in the last seventy years. Therefore, finding the best XI among them is incredibly hard. This article has picked Brazil's best XI based on the players' individual accomplishments, abilities, and contributions to the team. Here's a look at the best Brazil team of all time.
Brazil’s greatest XI of all time
We preferred a 4-4-2 formation for choosing the best Brazilian XI.
Goalkeeper
Gilmar (1953-1969) | M: 94 | Goal: 0
Gilmar played in three World Cups for the Brazilian national team. The IFFHS named him the best Brazilian goalkeeper of the twentieth century, as well as one of the finest in the world.
Right Back
Cafu (1990-2006) | M: 142 | Goal: 5
Cafu has the most international caps of any Brazilian footballer. He featured in four FIFA World Cups and is the first player in history to have competed in three consecutive World Cup finals. He was the winner of two FIFA World Cups (1994, 2002), two Copa America (1997, 1999), and the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1997.
Read: Best Argentina Football XI of All Time
Left Back
Roberto Carlos (1992-2006) | M: 125 | Goal: 11
Roberto Carlos was recognized as a free-kick specialist during his career and is largely regarded as one of the finest left-backs in history. He was runner-up in the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 1997. Roberto Carlos made his debut for the Brazilian national team in 1992. He represented his country in three World Cups, winning the 2002 event in Korea/Japan.
Center Back
Carlos Alberto Torres (1964-1977) | M: 53 | Goal: 8
Carlos Alberto Torres is widely considered as one of the all-time great defenders. He was also a great penalty taker and a leader. He led the Brazilian national team to victory in the 1970 World Cup.
Center Back
Aldair (1989-2000) | M: 80 | Goal: 3
Aldair competed in three World Cups, winning the 1994 event. He also won two Copa America trophies (1989, 1999).
Read: Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Combined ODI XI 2021
Defensive Midfield
Dunga (1987-1998) | M: 91 | Goal: 6
Under Dunga's captaincy, Brazil won the 1994 FIFA World Cup. He is the first of two men to have played in a World Cup final, an Olympic final, a Confederations Cup final, and a continental championship final.
Center Midfield
Roberto Falcão (1976-1986) | M: 34 | Goal: 6
Roberto Falco is widely regarded as one of Brazil's finest footballers of all time. Falco has a total of 34 caps with the Brazilian national team. At the 1982 FIFA World Cup, he played midfield with Zico, Sócrates, and Éder.
Center Midfield
Zico (1976-1986) | M: 71 | Goal: 48
Zico is regarded as one of the best finishers, great playmakers, and free-kick specialists. Zico scored 48 goals in 71 appearances for Brazil. He was a member of Brazil's World Cup teams in 1978, 1982, and 1986.
Attacking Midfield
Ronaldinho (1999-2013) | M: 97 | Goal: 33
Many believe Ronaldinho to be one of the finest players of his generation, if not the greatest of all time. Ronaldinho was named FIFA World Player of the Year twice and received the Ballon d'Or once. He was known for his dribbling abilities and technical talents. Ronaldinho won the Fifa World Cup in 2002.
Right Forward
Ronaldo (1994-2011) | M: 98 | Goal: 62
Ronaldo is widely recognized as one of the greatest footballers of all time. He has won two Ballon d'Or honors and has been named FIFA World Player of the Year three times. He won the Fifa World Cups in 1994 and 2002. In the 2002 edition of the tournament, he was the highest scorer.
Left Forward
Pelé (1957-1971) | M: 92 | Goal: 77
FIFA has dubbed Pelé "the best footballer of all time." He was one of the most accomplished and well-known athletes of the twentieth century. Pelé made his debut for the Brazil national team when he was 16 years old. He was the only player to win three FIFA World Cups: 1958, 1962, and 1970. Pelé has 77 goals in 92 matches, making him Brazil's all-time leading goalscorer.
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 2021: ODI Series Preview
Bottom Line
As a whole, the above XI is the best Brazil team of all time. But, we should also mention that Brazil has produced a wide range of talented footballers over the years apart from the players who make the best XI. Dani Alves, Nilton Santos, Tafarel, Rivaldo, Romario, Garrincha, and Socrates are among the most noteworthy.
Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Combined ODI XI 2021
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will play a One-Day International series starting on May 23. Sri Lanka's 18-member team has already arrived in Bangladesh. On the other hand, the BCB declared a 23-member Bangladesh squad for the bilateral series earlier this month. There are some outstanding cricketers on both sides who have the ability to change the flow of a game and lead their side to victory on any given day. Ahead of the three-match bilateral ODI series between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, we tried to make a combined ODI XI 2021 between the two sides, which has been discussed in this article.
The best combined ODI XI 2021 from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh)
M: 213 |Runs: 7,452 |HS: 158 |Avg: 36.89 |100s: 13 |SR: 78.36
Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal is one of the best batsmen in the ODI format over the last five years. Tamim has the ability to play till the end of the innings. In 2021, he has scored 250 runs in six matches at an average of 41.66 and made three fifties.
Read Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 2021: ODI Series Preview
Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka)
M:34 |Runs:767 |HS:97|Avg:27.39|100s:0|SR:74.39
Seasoned opener DimuthKarunaratne is a reliable batsman. He hasn't played many ODIs as he made a late entry in the Sri Lankan national team. 33-year old Karunaratne has only played 34 One-Day Internationals so far. In 2021, he participated in 3 matches and scored 84 runs at an average of 28.
KusalPerera (Sri Lanka)
M:101|Runs:2,825|HS:135|Avg:30.71|100s:05|SR:92.62
Sri Lanka's ODI captain KusalPerera is a brilliant batsman. Sri Lanka beat the South African Test team in their own backyard two years ago, thanks to KusalPerera's outstanding innings. Kusal is yet to play an ODI this season.
Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh)
M:224|Runs:6,344|HS:144|Avg:36.25|100s:07|SR:78.74
Mushfiqur Rahim is the most reliable batsman in the middle order of Bangladesh. He is also one of the best batsmen in the history of Bangladesh cricket. This year, he made a total of 170 runs at an average of 42.50.
Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)
M:209|Runs:6,436|HS:134|Avg:37.86|100s:09|SR:82.35
M:209|Wkts:266|BBI:5/29|Avg:29.73|SR:40.04|Econ:4.45
Bangladesh's best-ever cricketer Shakib Al Hasan will feature in this ODI series against Sri Lanka. He was the most prolific all-rounder in the past decade. Shakib has 113 runs and 6 wickets in three matches in 2021.
Read India vs New Zealand Final: Who Will Win the ICC Test Championship 2021?
KusalMendis (Sri Lanka)
M:76|Runs:2,167|HS:119|Avg:30.52|100s:02|SR:84.68
Sri Lankan cricketer KusalMendis is another talented player. He has the potential to be one of Sri Lanka's best weapons in the upcoming series. KusalMendis has yet to appear in an ODI match this year.
Mahmudullah Riyad (Bangladesh)
M:194|Runs:4,262|HS:128|Avg:34.65|100s:03|SR:77.24
M:194|Wkts:76|BBI:3/4|Avg:47.01|SR:54.53|Econ:5.17
The "Silent Killer" MahmudullahRiyad is a dangerous middle-order batsman. He can be lethal with the bat at the end of an innings. Riyad has scored 192 runs at an average of 96 in six matches this year.
Mohammad Saifuddin (Bangladesh)
M:24|Runs:302|HS:51|Avg:33.56|100s:0|SR:88.05
M:24|Wkts:34 |BBI:4/41|Avg:31.35|SR:32.09|Econ:5.86
Mohammad Saifuddin has been dubbed as the next MashrafeMortaza. He is equally competent with the bat and the ball. Saifuddin has already played several effective innings at the international level. He has taken three wickets and scored 12 runs in two matches this year.
AkilaDananjaya (Sri Lanka)
M:36|Wkts:51|BBI:6/29|Avg:29.53|SR:34.76|Econ:5.10
Right-arm off-spinner, AkilaDananjaya is a potent bowler. He's great at picking up wickets when needed. Dananjaya has already established himself as a key member of Sri Lanka's national team. This year, he hasn't played an ODI match.
Read Bangladesh's Predicted XI: If ODI and Test Teams Played on the Same Day
Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh)
M:64|Wkts:118|BBI:6/43|Avg:23.27|SR:26.61|Econ:5.25
Cutter-master Mustafizur Rahman is the most dependable bowler in the current Bangladesh team. The Fizz bowled well in the postponed IPL 2021 and his bowling prowess is coming back. Mustafiz has got a total of 9 wickets in 6 matches this year.
Taskin Ahmed (Bangladesh)
M:36|Wkts:48|BBI:5/28|Avg:32.81|SR:33.48|Econ:5.88
Taskin Ahmed returned to the national team earlier this year after being sidelined for two years due to injury. He is now much more mature and self-assured than he was before. Taskin has three wickets in four matches in 2021.
Bottom Line
Finding the best XI from the two teams is always a difficult task. Recent form and experience were considered to select the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Combined ODI XI 2021. Since the Bangladesh squad has much more experience than the current Sri Lankan team, the majority of the players in the XI are Bangladeshis. However, the Sri Lankan team has the talent to stun the opposition in the upcoming series.
Read Ban vs SL 2021: How Bangladesh can clinch the ODI series against Sri Lanka
Rubel uncertain over Sri Lanka ODIs for back pain
Bangladesh speedster Rubel Hossain is uncertain over playing the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka starting from May 23 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
The pacer has been suffering from back pain since the New Zealand tour earlier this year.
While talking to UNB on Monday, Rubel said he still feels pain while delivering a ball. He thinks it won’t be possible for him to make the final squad for the Sri Lanka series.
Read:Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 2021: ODI Series Preview
“I still have some pain in the back,” Rubel told UNB. “It’s tough for a pacer to keep playing without this sort of injuries. I have been in rehab for a while now. But still, some pain is here. I think it won’t be possible for me to play the Sri Lanka series.”
Debashis Chowdhury, the chief physician of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), told the same. He also said that it’s up to the pacer and the selectors to take the final decision about his participation in the Sri Lanka series.
“He has been playing at the top level of cricket for more than a decade, and these kind of bowlers often suffer from back issues. Rubel is not different from the others. It’s a reaction from bowling for a long time. He needs to stay in rehabilitation for more,” Debashis told the media.
Rubel last played an ODI in New Zealand earlier this year and bagged three wickets conceding 70 runs. He also played a T20I in that tour but failed to grab any wicket.
Read:Sri Lanka team arrive in Dhaka to play ODI series against Bangladesh
BCB announced a preliminary squad on May 1 including Rubel. The final squad will be announced this week which might see an omission of the right-handed pacer.
The first match of the series will take place on May 23 while the remaining games will be played on May 25 and 28 respectively. All the day-night affairs will take palace in Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka.
Preliminary squad: Tamim Iqbal, Naim Sheikh, Imrul Kayes, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, Musaddek Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam and Shohidul Islam
Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 2021: ODI Series Preview
Bangladesh are a formidable opponent at home, despite losing their latest away series against New Zealand in March. On the other side, Sri Lanka's ODI team also lost their last series against the Windies. So, both teams will be eying to return in winning momentum in this series and they will also treat each match equally as the series is part of the ICC ODI Super League. Bangladesh have a good chance of winning the ODI series against Sri Lanka at home for the first time. The BAN v SL 2021 ODI series preview will give you an idea of the strengths of the two teams.
Notable ODI record between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
The Bangladesh-Sri Lanka One-Day International series will begin on May 23. The rest of the two matches will be played on May 25 and May 28 respectively. All the matches will take place at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Mirpur. Here are some head-to-head notable bilateral ODI records between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka series 2021: ODI Ranking Prediction
# Sri Lanka have won six out of eight bilateral series between the two teams.
# Bangladesh have yet to win an ODI series against Sri Lanka at home.
# Mushfiqur Rahim has scored the most (783) runs for Bangladesh, while Kumar Sangakkara (1,206) is topping the list of most runs.
# Mashrafe Mortaza has taken the most (26) wickets for Bangladesh, while Mutiah Muralitharan (31) is topping the list of most wickets.
# Mushfiqur Rahim made the highest individual score (144) for Bangladesh, while Tillakaratne Dilshan played the highest individual innings (161*) for Sri Lanka.
# Abdur Razzak has the best bowling figures for Bangladesh (5/72), while Chaminda Vaas has the best bowling figures for Sri Lanka (6/25).
Bangladesh’s Preliminary Squad for the bilateral ODI Series 2021
BCB announced a 23-man preliminary ODI squad for the series. Fast bowlers have done well in recent series, that’s why the selectors have included seven pacers in Bangladesh’s limited over squad.
The selectors also have picked three genuine spinners and a notable number of all-rounders for the series against the Lankans.
World’s best all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and cutter-master Mustafizur Rahman have returned to the Bangladesh squad. They both missed out to play the Sri Lanka Test series due to their commitment to IPL 2021. Besides, most of the expected names have been included in this squad.
Captain Tamim Iqbal, as well as three other senior members of the team, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, and Shakib Al Hasan, are all available for the series and will be charged with marshaling the troops against a revamped Lankan ODI side.
Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka ODI series 2021: Expected personal milestones to Reach
The players who can make a difference
Tamim Iqbal: ODIs: 213 | Runs: 7,452 | HS: 158 | SR: 78.36
Shakib Al Hasan: ODIs: 209 | Runs: 6,436 | HS: 134 | SR: 82.35 | Wkts: 266 | BBI: 5/29 | Econ: 4.45
Mustafizur Rahman: ODIs: 64 | Wkts: 118 | BBI: 6/43 | Econ: 5.25
Preliminary Squad:Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Naim, ImrulKayes, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, MahediHasan, MehidyHasanMiraz, Taijul Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Shohidul Islam.
Sri Lanka’s Squad for the bilateral ODI Series 2021
On Wednesday (May 12), Sri Lanka Cricket named an 18-man squad for the forthcoming three-match One-Day International series against Bangladesh. The SLC announced in a press release that KusalPerera will act as captain for the series and the team would leave for Bangladesh on May 16.
KusalPerera, who has represented Sri Lanka for more than a hundred ODIs, succeeds DimuthKarunaratne as captain. While KusalMendis has been appointed as the new vice-captain for the Lankan ODI side.
Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews, as well as Karunaratne, LahiruThirimanne, and wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal were all dropped for the series.
Read Bangladesh's Predicted XI: If ODI and Test Teams Played on the Same Day
The players who can make a difference
KusalPerera: ODIs: 101 | Runs: 2,825 | HS: 135 | SR: 92.62
KusalMendis: ODIs: 76 | Runs: 2,167 | HS: 119 | SR: 84.68
AkilaDananjaya: ODIs: 36 | Wkts: 51 | BBI: 6/29 | Econ: 5.1
Squad: KusalPerera (C), KusalMendis (VC), DanushkaGunathilaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, PathumNissanka, DasunShanaka, Ashen Bandara, WaninduHasaranga, IsuruUdana, AkilaDananjaya, NiroshanDickwella, DushmanthaChameera, Ramesh Mendis, Asitha Fernando, Lakshan Sandakan, ChamikaKarunaratne, Binura Fernando, Shiran Fernando.
Verdict
Both teams will be looking to put on a strong performance given that this three-match series is part of the ICC's ODI Super League and each match has valuable 10 points. The ODI series preview shows that Sri Lanka are well ahead of Bangladesh in terms of the overall ODI record between these two teams. But the current Bangladesh squad is stronger than Sri Lanka. Therefore Bangladesh will begin the series as a favorite. So, we can anticipate a highly competitive series between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Read: India vs New Zealand Final: Who Will Win the ICC Test Championship 2021?
India vs New Zealand Final: Who Will Win the ICC Test Championship 2021?
The much-anticipated first ICC Test Championship final will finally take place in the third to fourth week of June, after overcoming obstacles such as the fear of coronavirus outbreak, scheduling ambiguity, the proper implementation of the points system, and a slew of other challenges. The top two teams in the ICC Test rankings India and New Zealand will compete in the final of the first edition of the tournament. From that perspective, the best two Test teams of the competition will meet in the championship match. Who will win the ICC Test Championship in 2021 is discussed in this article.
How the journey of the ICC Test Championship started
The ICC (International Cricket Council) believes that interest in Test cricket is fading because of the popularity of One Day International as well as twenty20 format. They launched the ICC World Test Championship in 2019 in order to raise the interest in the longer version format among the global cricket fans.
Read: Bangladesh's Predicted XI: If ODI and Test Teams Played on the Same Day
As per some studies, cricket fans are becoming more interested in this format after the launch of the ICC Test Championship, as there is a possibility of winning a trophy.
The International Cricket Council has been working on popularizing Test cricket for a long time. They intended to do that by having a new World Cup for the longer version format, similar to the ICC ODI and T20 World Cup.
After being pushed back twice, the two-year-long Test Championship tournament officially began on August 1, 2019, with the Ashes series between England and Australia. The series eventually ended 2-2. A notable number of Test series were later canceled due to the outbreak of pandemic covid-19 but not the first ICC World Test Championship.
The participant teams of the championship
The top nine teams in the ICC Test rankings have taken part in this Test championship. India, New Zealand, South Africa, England, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, the West Indies, and Bangladesh are among the teams competing. It's also important to keep in mind that the Test championship's inaugural season does not include the teams from Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, or Ireland.
Each one of the nine teams was set to play six series, three at home and three away but not all the series was held because of Coronavirus. Each series consists of two to five matches.To put it another way, each team had the same number of series to play, but not the same number of matches.
Every match in the two-match series is worth 60 points, while each match in the five-match series is worth 24 points. If the match is tied, half points are added, and if the match is a draw, one-third point is added.
According to FTP fixtures, the tournament would feature 71 Tests across 27 series, and the top two teams in the point table would play the final at Lord's in June 2021. There were expected to be 72 matches in all, including the final one.
Read: Ban vs SL 2021: How Bangladesh can clinch the ODI series against Sri Lanka
The way India and New Zealand secured the final of the tournament
The Indian cricket team played six series in this tournament, winning five and drawing the other.They whitewashed the Windies (2-0), South Africa (3-0), and Bangladesh (2-0) in their first three Test Championship series. But handed a 2-0 series defeat against New Zealand in early 2020.
India came back strong during their away tour in Australia last year December and clinched the series 2-1. India also won the home series against England by 3-1. India won a total of 520 out of 720 points and finished top of the ICC World Test Championship points table.
On the other hand, New Zealand played five series, winning three, drawing one, and losing one.New Zealand has had a relatively quiet start in this Test Championship. They tied their first series (1-1) against Sri Lanka and lost their second series (3-0) to their arch-rivals Australia in December 2019.
New Zealand then bounced back with victories over India (2-0), the Windies (2-0), and Pakistan (2-0).The Blackcaps came second in the ICC Test Championship points table with 420 points out of 600 to their name.
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Who is the favorite to win the ICC Test Championship 2021?
New Zealand will have a slight advantage in the upcoming final even though India finished top in the group stage points table. New Zealand's confidence will be boosted ahead of the final by England's bouncy wicket, familiar weather, excellent pace attack, and batting skills of the lower order.
On the other hand, India would benefit if a sporting wicket is made in the Rose Bowl. In big matches, captains usually want to bowl first if they win the toss. However, if the pitch is green, the captains may choose to bowl in the hopes of quickly picking up wickets. In that case, the Kiwis will enjoy more advantages.
The players are usually under a lot of pressure to play in the final because of the high expectations. So, it doesn't matter who is stronger on paper because you would not be able to prevail if you are unable to play at your best. Overall, the two teams will face off in a tough battle.
The ICC Test Championship final will be held at the Rose Bowl cricket ground in Southampton from the 18th to the 22nd of June this year. The two participating teams will be declared joint champions if the final is tied or a draw.
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Verdict
There is a common saying that no matter how strong the competitor is, anyone can win the final if they give it their all. Predicting who will win the ICC Test Championship 2021 is difficult because both teams have equal chances. However, since the top two teams are competing in the final, we can expect a thrilling battle. In that case, the captain who wins the toss will gain a competitive advantage, and the pitch will also have a major impact on the outcome of the match. But neutral cricket fans would want the best team to lift the trophy.