For a couple of days, Bangladesh supporters found themselves in the odd position of cheering for Sri Lanka. The equation was simple: if Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan in their last group match, Bangladesh would squeeze into the Super Four of the ongoing Asia Cup.
Sri Lanka obliged, and Bangladesh slipped through. The Lankans beat Afghanistan in style, chasing a big total, and knocked out the Afghans from the event.
Now the goodwill is over. The two sides meet again in Dubai on Saturday night, in what has become one of the most intriguing rivalries in Asian cricket in recent years.
The last meeting between the teams wasn’t kind to Litton Das’s side. Bangladesh collapsed to 139 for 5 after losing early wickets, a total Sri Lanka chased down in less than 15 overs.
That defeat dented Bangladesh’s net run rate badly, almost enough to undo their big wins over Hong Kong and the UAE. Without Sri Lanka’s help later, Bangladesh might have been packing their bags already.
Sri Lanka enter the Super Four with momentum, though not without questions. Their middle order struggled badly against Hong Kong before Wanindu Hasaranga rescued them.
Against Afghanistan, they were far more convincing, thanks to Kusal Mendis’s unbeaten 74. Still, the batting beyond their top three remains fragile, and that’s an area Bangladesh will try to exploit.
Bangladesh, for their part, have shuffled their lineup. Saif Hassan came in for Parvez Hossain Emon and looked steady, but the bigger responsibility sits on Litton’s shoulders. He is already within touching distance of becoming Bangladesh’s all-time leading T20I run-scorer, and he has been the one consistent voice in a sometimes stuttering batting lineup. Towhid Hridoy and Shamim Hossain will need to provide better support if Bangladesh are to hold their ground.
With the ball, Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman remain the main hopes.
Mustafizur’s figures against Sri Lanka earlier — his most expensive spell of the year — were a reminder that even seasoned bowlers can be targeted on these flat surfaces. He is also chasing personal milestones, just four wickets shy of 150 in T20Is, which could provide an extra spark.
Sri Lanka’s strengths are clear. Their bowlers have been excellent in the Power Play, the only attack in the tournament to go under a run a ball in that phase. Nuwan Thushara has been especially effective, and his 4 for 18 against Afghanistan is the best return by a Sri Lankan in Asia Cup T20s. Charith Asalanka, leading the side, has leaned on that early discipline to give his batters the freedom to play their shots.
Bangladesh’s bowling coach, Shaun Tait, suggested they are more focussed on their own game instead of thinking much about the opposition.
“The good thing is we can just focus on what we're doing,” he said before the Super Four match against Sri Lanka. “And I'm sure Sri Lanka will do the same because we know each other well. It's a good contest.”
The rivalry between these two has grown sharper over the last decade, often spilling onto social media with memes and banter.
But on the field, it’s simple: since 2024, they’ve met eight times in T20Is and split the results evenly. Saturday night offers one team the chance to edge ahead, and to put the first Super Four points in the bag.
The pitch in Dubai has been slow, with spinners bowling more than half the overs in this tournament. That means the spotlight will likely fall on Hasaranga, Theekshana, and Bangladesh’s Rishad Hossain.