Sri Lanka has reached the Asia Cup 2023 final after dramatically knocking out Pakistan on Thursday night. In the exciting final, Sri Lanka will compete against India on Sunday, September 17, 2023 at 3:30 pm. The IND vs SL match will be held at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Preview of IND vs SL Asia Cup 2023 Final Match India secured their spot in the top two by winning a thrilling match against Sri Lanka in the Super Fours. This victory also ended Bangladesh’s hopes of reaching the Asia Cup Final 2023. The defending champions, Sri Lanka, managed to defeat Pakistan in a rain-affected Super Fours game, earning their place in the final as well. However, India’s loss to Bangladesh in the last match of the Super Four Round might reduce their confidence a bit. But, some of the game changers of India, such as Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kuldeep Yadav, were on rest to give their best in the final. So, India will surely come back stronger with the top players. In the last match of the Super Four Round, India won the toss and sent Bangladesh to bat first. Bangladesh set a target of 266 runs for India. Chasing a target of 266 runs, India were bowled out for 259 runs with 1 ball to spare. They needed 12 runs in the last over with 1 wicket in hand. But they could not reach the target. Bangladesh beat India by 6 runs on Friday at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, secured the final by beating Pakistan in their last Super Four Round match. Sri Lanka won the breathtaking ODI match in the last ball. Because of rain, the game was shortened to 42 overs. Pakistan batted first and managed to score 252 runs while losing 7 wickets. In reply, Sri Lanka reached victory by losing 8 wickets. Now, the defending champions and India are waiting for Sunday’s final. So far in this tournament, India lost one match, and that was against Bangladesh. On the other hand, Sri Lanka lost one match against India in the Super Four. It is expected that both teams will join the final with their best players, as there is no injury report. Read more: Tigers aim for a memorable end to their Asia Cup campaign by facing India Predicted XI for India Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj Predicted XI for Sri Lanka Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis (w), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, and Matheesha Pathirana. India vs Sri Lanka Asia Cup Final Head to Head This is not the first time that India and Sri Lanka are meeting in the Asia Cup Final. Previously, they met 7 times in the final in 1988, 1990-91, 1995, 1997, 2004, 2008 and 2010. Among these seven appearances, India won four times in 1988, 1990-91, 1995, and 2010. Sri Lanka won three times in 1997, 2004 and 2008. India vs Sri Lanka Overall ODI Head to Head In ODI cricket, India and Sri Lanka have played against each other 166 times. Out of these 166 matches, India has won 97 times, while Sri Lanka has won 57 times. There were 11 matches that didn’t have a clear result, and 1 match ended in a tie. Read more: ICC World Cup 2023 Warm-up Schedule: Full fixture list, match timings and venues Key Indian Players to Watch in Asia Cup Final 2023 Shubman Gill Shubman Gill has been consistent throughout this Asia Cup and finally got his desired century against Bangladesh. He scored 121 runs from 133 balls in a critical situation for India. This week, Indian opener Shubman Gill has moved up two spots to reach the second position in the ICC Men’s ODI rankings for batters. He earned this recognition for his outstanding batting performance during the Asia Cup 2023. Shubman scored 275 runs in five innings with an impressive average of 68.75. This includes two half-centuries and one century in his name. So, India will greatly depend on his batting knock in the Final. KL Rahul Rahul made a comeback to the Indian team after being sidelined for almost three months due to multiple injuries. After his return, he scored a century in his first appearance in the Asia Cup against Pakistan in Super Four. After that, Rahul scored 39 runs against Sri Lanka and 19 runs against Bangladesh. It seems the long absence from the field did not hamper his performance, and he came back stronger. So, we may see a better performance this time against Sri Lanka. Kuldeep Yadav Kuldeep was the top bowler against Sri Lanka in the last match. He took four wickets with a 4.52 economy rate. Seemingly, his bowl worked better at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, as he also took five wickets at the same venue against Pakistan. Since the final will be at the same venue, we may see another brilliant performance from Kuldeep. Read more: ICC World Cup 2023: India ODI Squad Analysis Key Sri Lankan Players to Watch in Asia Cup Final 2023 Kusal Mendis Kusal has scored 253 runs from five innings in this Asia Cup and has two centuries and a half century. However, Kusal scored 15 runs against India in the Super Four round match. So, this time, Kusal should be looking to put his best in the final. Moreover, he is also incredible in wicketkeeping, as he took 8 catches. Sadeera Samarwickrama Sadeera Samarwickrama is currently the third highest run-scorer in the tournament, with a total of 215 runs in five innings. However, in the match against India, he only scored 17 runs. So, Sadeera is surely looking for a great knock in the final. Overall, Sadeera has played in 22 matches and has scored a total of 615 runs. His highest score is 93, which came against Bangladesh in this Asia Cup. He has an impressive strike rate of 90.57 in this tournament. Matheesha Pathirana This 20 year old wonder is the top wicket taker in this Asia Cup. So far, he took 11 wickets. He got at least one wicket in each match of the tournament except against India. In his appearance against India, Matheesha bowled 4 overs with a 7.75 econ rate, which resembles an average performance from him. He might be looking for a better performance in the final and remain the top wicket takers. Read more: Bangladesh's probable squad for ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Final Words India seems to have an advantage over Sri Lanka on paper because they have a stronger team with better players. However, India should not underestimate Sri Lanka as in the previous encounter in the Super Four stage of the tournament, India were very close to losing against the Lankans. While both teams are strong contenders, India still has a better chance to win the IND vs SL Asia Cup Final 2023. Read more: Bangladesh beat India in Asia Cup after 11 years

Sri Lanka will face Bangladesh in their Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday, September 9. Sri Lanka topped Group B with four points, while Bangladesh finished second with two points after upsetting Afghanistan in the final group stage game on Tuesday. Bangladesh have already played 1 game in the Super 4 round and they tasted defeat in that game. Shakib Al Hasan and co. suffered a 7-wicket defeat at the hands of Pakistan on 6th September 2023. Head-to-Head Records Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have faced each other in 52 ODI matches. Out of these 52 games, Sri Lanka have won 41, whereas Bangladesh have come out victorious on nine occasions. Two matches had no results. Read more: Asia Cup 2023: Six Players in Bangladesh ODI Squad to Watch Where and How to watch Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka livestream Asia Cup 2023 for free Here is the list of live streaming and broadcasting details in other countries: Pakistan: PTV Sports and Ten Sports Bangladesh: Gazi TV, T- Sports and Star Sports-1 United Kingdom: TNT Sports app Australia: Fox Sports and FOXTel app South Africa: SuperSport SRI vs BAN live streaming will take place on Disney+ Hotstar for free in India. Read more: Predictions: Who will win Asia Cup 2023? Asia Cup Cricket will be telecast live on Toffee Toffee, the digital entertainment platform of Banglalink, has acquired the rights to live stream the Asia Cup 2023. Where can watch the live stream of BAN vs SL Asia Cup 2023 match in USA? Sri Lanka  vs Bangladesh Asia Cup 2023 match will be streamed live on Willow TV. Live streaming will also be available on ESPN+ and Disney Bundle. Read more: Preview of Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka ODI in Asia Cup 2023 How to watch Asia Cup 2023 online for free? Viewers can witness the Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh match online for free on the Hotstar App mobile version. When will the BAN vs SL, Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s match take place? The Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will take place on Saturday, September 9 from 3:00 PM IST onwards. Read more: ICC World Cup 2023 Warm-up Schedule: Full fixture list, match timings and venues Where will the Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s match take place? The Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will take place at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Probable Playing 11 Sri Lanka Playing XI Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha/Matheesha Pathirana Bangladesh Playing XI Litton Das, Naim Sheikh, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mahedi Hasan When the two sides had met in the group-stage round in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023, Sri Lanka had emerged out victorious in the game. Read more: ICC World Cup 2023: India ODI Squad Analysis

Sri Lanka has repaid $50 million to Bangladesh, an official of Bangladesh Bank has said. Bangladesh had earlier lent $200 million amid economic crisis in the island nation. Also read : Ambassador Fick to visit India, Sri Lanka from August 17 to 23 Md Mesbaul Haque, Executive Director and Spokesperson of the central bank, told UNB: “Out of the $200 million loan given to Sri Lanka, we have received an installment of $50 million. Another installment is due later this month. We expect them to repay the loan in full within this year.” Sri Lanka took the loan in 2021 under the currency swap system with the condition of repayment within three months. Also read : French President Macron visits his counterpart in Sri Lanka But it failed to repay the loan on time and the island nation wanted an extension of time due to political chaos amid domestic financial turmoil. Bangladesh had extended the deadline for several times. Also read : Bangladesh will never be like Sri Lanka: MA Mannan According to BB, Bangladesh released 50 million dollars in the first phase on August 19, 2021. The second round of $100 million was given on October 30 of that year. Then $50 million dollars was given in November. Under an agreement, the money was supposed to be returned with interest between August, October, and November last year. But the country failed to repay the loan on time.

The 2023 Lanka Premier League (LPL) is the fourth season of LPL in Sri Lanka. The tournament will start on July 31 and end on August 22, 2023. Five teams will participate, and they will play their matches in three different international stadiums. The tournament is organized by Sri Lanka Cricket, the governing body of cricket in the island nation. Sri Lanka Cricket has announced that the auction for the LPL 2023 will happen on June 14, and 360 players have signed up to participate in the T20 tournament — 24 of them are Bangladeshi cricketers. Bangladeshi Players Signed Up for Lanka Premier League 2023 Auction All 360 registered cricketers have been divided into 51 groups. Twenty-four cricket players from Bangladesh have signed up for the auction of the Lanka Premier League (LPL). Several Bangladeshi cricketers, including players from the national team and those who are not currently part of it, have registered for the LPL auction. One of the star players, Litton Das, is in the third set of players. Taskin Ahmed is also on the list. Additionally, two retired batsmen from international T20 cricket, Mushfiqur Rahim and Tamim Iqbal, have also registered. Tamim is in the first set, while Mushfiqur is in the third set. Some young players like Towhid Hridoy, Afif Hossain, and Najmul Hossain Shanto have also put their names forward for the auction. Read more: Litton Das as Captain: Test experience could mean advantage over Afghanistan However, two popular players, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mustafizur Rahman, are not included in the list. Several cricketers who have previously played for the national team, but are not currently part of it, have also entered their names for the auction. Some notable names include Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Mithun, Mahedi Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, and Mohammad Saifuddin. List of the Bangladeshi Players in the LPL Auction Tamim Iqbal, Litton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Taskin Ahmed, Nasum Ahmed, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Afif Hossain, Taijul Islam, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mahedi Hasan, Ebadot Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Towhid Hridoy, Mosaddek Hossain, Imrul Kayes, Mohammad Saifuddin, Soumya Sarkar, Yasir Ali, Shoriful Islam, Rubel Hossain. Read more: 2023 Bangladesh Vs Afghanistan Test: Head-to-head records, Who is favorite? Rules for the 2023 LPL Auction Just like the IPL auction, players who want to participate in the auction for the Lanka Premier League (LPL) will be divided into two groups: capped and uncapped players. Capped players are those who have already represented their national team in international matches. The base value for capped players in the auction will range from $10,000 to $50,000, increasing in $10,000 increments. Players who haven’t represented their national teams yet will be divided into three different groups based on their experience. Players who have played 50 or more First-Class matches can register themselves with a base value of $20,000. Read more: BCB to introduce its own TV channel Players who have played at least 25 First-Class matches or 18 matches in T20 franchise leagues like the LPL (Lanka Premier League) can register themselves with a base value of $10,000. Players who don’t meet any of the above criteria can still register themselves with a base value of $5,000. Each of the five teams in the tournament will have a squad of 20 to 24 players. Out of these players, six must be from other countries, not from Sri Lanka. Read more: BAN vs AFG Series 2023: Afghanistan Test Squad Analysis LPL 2023 Auction Bidding Process After some players have already been chosen by teams, the remaining players will be put up for auction. Only two teams can bid on a player at a time, but if one team decides to stop bidding, then a third team can join the auction. However, the auction process won’t be the same for all players. After the first 70 players have been auctioned, there will be a faster auction called the ‘accelerated’ auction. In this auction, each team can nominate 15 to 20 players to be auctioned, and these players can include those who were not sold in the previous rounds. Final Words In the past, players for the Lanka Premier League were chosen through a draft system. However, this time, the LPL will try something new by using an auction method similar to the Indian Premier League (IPL). It will be exciting to see how this change adds a new flavor to the tournament. And let’s see how many Bangladeshi players get picked. Read more: BAN vs AFG Series 2023: Bangladesh Test Squad Analysis.

Sri Lankan health, railway, port and other state workers were on a daylong strike Wednesday to protest against sharp increases in income taxes and electricity charges, as the island nation awaits approval of an International Monetary Fund package to aid its bankrupt economy. Most government hospitals around the country suspended their outpatient clinics because doctors, nurses and pharmacists were on strike. The railways operated fewer trains and armed soldiers guarded carriages and train stations fearing sabotage. Trade unions say the increase in taxes and electricity charges have hit them hard amid difficulties from the country's worst economic crisis. They have threatened to extend the strike indefinitely if the government fails to address their demands. Also Read: Sri Lanka leader says IMF deal imminent after China’s pledge The government says it was compelled to raise taxes to strengthen state revenue and electricity charges to cover production costs, key prerequisites to unlocking the proposed $2.9 billion IMF package. Authorities say they managed to operate some trains and most state banks despite the strike. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said last week the fund's board will meet on March 20 to consider the final approval of Sri Lanka's bailout package after China gave crucial debt restructuring assurances. Sri Lanka announced last year it was suspending repayment of its foreign loans amid a severe foreign currency crisis that resulted in shortages of fuel, food, medicines and cooking gas, along with long power cuts. The crisis led to street protests that forced then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and resign. President Ranil Wickremesinghe, since taking over last July, has managed to end the power cuts and reduce shortages. The Central Bank has said the country's reserves have improved and Sri Lanka's rupee has started to strengthen after crashing last year. The Central Bank has wrested back control of foreign currency trade from the black market, the monetary authority says. However, critics say the strengthening of the currency might be linked to import controls and that it is bound to weaken once the country reopens for imports. Wickremesinghe told Parliament last week that difficult reforms are needed to remain on course with the IMF program. Sidestepping them, as the country has done on 16 previous occasions, could spell danger, he added, noting that any breakdown would compel Sri Lanka to repay $6-7 billion of foreign debt every year until 2029. However, he found no support from the opposition parties and the public, who say he is shielding the ousted Rajapaksa family from allegations of corruption, which they say caused the economic crisis, in return for their support for his presidency.

Police in Sri Lanka on Sunday fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters angry over a decision to postpone local elections after the government said it cannot finance them because of the country's crippling economic crisis. About 15 people were treated for minor injuries, according to Colombo National Hospital. Thousands of supporters of the opposition National People's Power party tried to march toward the main business district in capital Colombo, ignoring police warnings after a court order barred them from entering the area, which includes the president's residence, office and several key government buildings. The order had been obtained in the backdrop of last July's massive protests, when thousands of people stormed the presidential office and residence and occupied them for days. The crisis forced then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and resign. The turmoil was caused by severe shortages of some foods, fuel, cooking gas and medicine, after Sri Lanka went bankrupt because it could not repay its foreign debt. The new president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, negotiated a rescue package with the International Monetary Fund for $2.9 billion over four years, but it can be finalized only if Sri Lanka’s creditors give assurances on debt restructuring. Sri Lanka’s total foreign debt exceeds $ 51 billion, of which it must repay $28 billion by 2027. India and several other creditor countries have so far given assurances that meet the IMF standards, but the deal hinges on whether China would agree to debt restructuring at the same level. The Finance Ministry under Wickremesinghe said it can't allocate sufficient funds for the March 9 elections for town and village councils, even though political parties had submitted nominations. The decision forced the Election Commission to indefinitely postpone the elections. Despite signs of progress in reducing shortages and ending daily power cuts after nearly a year, Wickremesinghe is immensely unpopular. Many people say he lacks the mandate because he was elected by lawmakers backed by Rajapaksa supporters. They accuse Wickremesinghe of protecting members of the Rajapaksa family from corruption allegations in return for backing him in Parliament. The National People’s Power party, which organized Sunday's rally, has only three lawmakers in Sri Lanka's 225-member Parliament but it enjoys a wave of public support after the economic crisis eroded the popularity of traditional political parties that have ruled Sri Lanka since independence.

The team comprising Medhini Wanigaratne and Sayurangi Premasiri representing Sri Lanka emerged victorious in the BIMSTEC Silver Jubilee Quiz held in Thimphu recently. The team representing Nepal comprising Aayusha Bohara and Sushank Paudel became the first runner-up, while the team representing India comprising Reet and Ron Dutta stood as the second runner-up. Dr. Tandi Dorji, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Bhutan handed over the winning trophy and medals to the champions from Sri Lanka, said the BIMSTEC Secretariat on Monday. The Ambassador-designate of Bangladesh to Bhutan Shib Nath Roy handed over medals and certificates to the first and second runners-up from Nepal and India. The team representing Sri Lanka scored 130 points, while the second and third runners-up Nepal and India scored 87 and 84 points respectively.  

Bangladesh is expected to get back the money borrowed by Sri Lanka by September this year as the country's economic situation is improving. "Sri Lanka is gradually doing better. They are recovering slowly. We have given them time till September (to repay the loan)," Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told reporters at state guesthouse Padma on Sunday (February 05, 2023) afternoon, hoping for repayment by Sri Lanka within the timeframe. The Foreign Minister, who returned home Sunday from Sri Lanka, said the new government in Sri Lanka is running the country “pretty well”. The Sri Lankan government hopes that they will recover from the problem and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is coming up for support, Momen said. Also read: FM likely to visit New Delhi March 1-2 Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has conveyed Sri Lanka's gratitude to the Bangladesh government and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the timely assistance as the country battles to rebuild its economy. “I must say they are very grateful to us,” said Foreign Minister Momen.Foreign Minister Momen visited Sri Lanka as a guest for the country's 75th Independence Day celebrations, for which the guest list was filled up mostly by neighbouring countries at foreign minister-level. Sri Lanka and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently reached a staff-level agreement on a 48-month, $2.9 billion Extended Fund Facility which will also help it secure short-term funds from other donors. Bangladesh Bank earlier granted Sri Lanka six more months to repay the $200 million loan after the Island nation requested to extend the repayment period due to its prolonged economic crisis. Read More: Sri Lanka thanks Bangladesh for timely assistance on road to recovery In a friendly gesture, Bangladesh had extended the loan to cash-strapped Sri Lanka under a currency swap arrangement in 2021. Sri Lanka and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently reached a staff-level agreement on a 48-month, $2.9 billion Extended Fund Facility which will also help it secure short-term funds from other donors. Bangladesh Bank earlier granted Sri Lanka six more months to repay the $200 million loan after the Island nation requested to extend the repayment period due to its prolonged economic crisis. In a friendly gesture, Bangladesh had extended the loan to cash-strapped Sri Lanka under a currency swap arrangement in 2021. Also read: FM Momen to join Sri Lanka's 75th Independence Day celebrations in Colombo

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has conveyed Sri Lanka's gratitude to the Bangladesh government and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the timely assistance as the country battles to rebuild its economy. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen is now in Sri Lanka as a guest for the country's low-key 75th Independence Day celebrations, for which the guest list was filled up mostly by neighbouring countries at foreign ministry-level. Momen, along with the others, attended the "Independence Parade" featuring march-past, fly-by, and parachute display by the joint forces at the Galle Face Green, Colombo Saturday. The foreign minister later paid a courtesy call on President Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat. It was then that Wickremesinghe conveyed the Sri Lanka people's gratitude to their neighbours in Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka marked its 75th independence anniversary on Saturday as a bankrupt nation, with many citizens angry, anxious and in no mood to celebrate. Many Buddhists and Christian clergy had announced a boycott of the celebration in the capital, while activists and others expressed anger at what they see as a waste of money in a time of severe economic crisis. Despite the criticism, armed troops paraded along the main esplanade in Colombo, showcasing military equipment as navy ships sailed in the sea and helicopters and aircraft flew over the city. Catholic priest Rev. Cyril Gamini called this year's ceremony commemorating independence from British rule a “crime and waste” at a time when the country is experiencing such economic hardship. “We ask the government what independence they are going to proudly celebrate by spending a sum of 200 million rupees ($548,000),” said Gamini, adding the Catholic Church does not condone spending public money on the celebration and that no priest would attend the ceremony. About 7% of Sri Lanka’s 22 million people in this Buddhist-majority nation are Christians, most of them Catholics. Despite being a minority, the church’s views are respected. Prominent Buddhist monk Rev. Omalpe Sobitha said there is no reason to celebrate and that the ceremony is just an exhibition of weapons made in other countries. Sri Lanka is effectively bankrupt and has suspended repayment of nearly $7 billion in foreign debt due this year pending the outcome of talks with the International Monetary Fund. The country’s total foreign debt exceeds $51 billion, of which $28 billion has to be repaid by 2027. Unsustainable debt and a severe balance of payment crisis, on top of lingering scars from the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to a severe shortage of essentials such as fuel, medicine and food. The shortages led to protests last year that forced then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and resign. Read more: Sri Lanka’s government cuts expenses as economy tanks There have been signs of improvement under President Ranil Wickremesinghe, but power cuts continue due to the fuel shortages, hospitals face medicine shortages and the treasury is struggling to raise money to pay government employees’ salaries. The economic crisis has made people angry and apathetic toward political leaders. To manage the country's expenses, the government has increased income taxes sharply and has announced a 6% cut in funds allocated to every ministry this year. Also, the military, which had swelled to more than 200,000 members amid a long civil war, will be downsized by nearly half by 2030. A group of activists began a silent protest on Friday in the capital, condemning the government’s independence celebration and failure to ease the economic burden.