The ninth edition of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy tournament kicked off on Wednesday. Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates are hosting the tournament from February 19 to March 9, 2025. The defending champion is Pakistan.  Fixtures and Schedules of the 2025 Men’s ICC Champions Trophy Table: Full Fixtures of ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 Match No Teams Venue Date Time (BDT) 1 Pakistan v New Zealand National Stadium, Karachi 19 Feb 3.0 PM  2 Bangladesh v India Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 20 Feb 3.0 PM  3 Afghanistan v South Africa National Stadium, Karachi 21 Feb 3.0 PM  4 Australia v England Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 22 Feb 3.0 PM  5 Pakistan v India Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 23 Feb 3.0 PM  6 Bangladesh v New Zealand Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi 24 Feb 3.0 PM  7 Australia v South Africa Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi 25 Feb 3.0 PM 8 Afghanistan v England Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 26 Feb 3.0 PM 9 Pakistan v Bangladesh Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi 27 Feb 3.0 PM  10 Afghanistan v Australia Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 28 Feb 3.0 PM  11 South Africa v England National Stadium, Karachi 1 Mar 3.0 PM  12 New Zealand v India Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 2 Mar 3.0 PM  13 Semi-final 1 Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 4 Mar 3.0 PM  14 Semi-final 2 Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 5 Mar 3.0 PM  15 Final Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 9 Mar 3.0 PM  Read more: Big blow for Pakistan as Fakhar out of Champions Trophy ahead of India match Teams and Groups The top eight ranked men's national teams that qualified for the 2023 Cricket World Cup will compete in the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy tournament. Group A - Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Bangladesh Group B - South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan, England Venues of ICC Champions Trophy 2025  India will play in Dubai, while Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi will host the matches. - National Stadium, Karachi.- Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.- Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi.- Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. Read more: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Bangladesh in trouble  losing 5 wickets quickly  vs India Prize Money The ICC allocated a pool of US$6.9 million in prize money for the tournament, a 53 percent increase from the previous edition. The winners would receive the grand prize of $2.24 million, with each team receiving an additional $125,000 for participating. Table: Prize Money of ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 Place Teams Amount Per team Total Champions 1 $2.24 million $2.24 million Runners-up 1 $1.12 million $1.12 million Semi-finalists 2 $560,000 $1.12 million 5th–6th place (Group stage) 2 $350,000 $700,000 7th–8th place (Group stage) 2 $140,000 $280,000 Participants 8 $125,000 $1 million Total 8 $6.9 million Read more: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: New Zealand outclass Pakistan after Young, Latham hit centuries Bangladesh’s schedule for the Men’s ICC 2025 Champions Trophy Here is the full schedule for the Bangladesh cricket team at the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy: Table: Fixtures of Bangla Team ICC in the Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 Match No Teams Venue Date Time (BDT) 2 Bangladesh v India Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 20 Feb 3.0 PM  6 Bangladesh v New Zealand Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi 24 Feb 3.0 PM 9 Pakistan v Bangladesh Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi 27 Feb 3.0 PM  Bangladesh Squad for ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmud Ullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana. Read more: Three-decade wait ends as Pakistan hosts Champions Trophy

The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor announced plans to pursue arrest warrants against those accused of committing atrocities in Sudan’s West Darfur region, where paramilitary forces have reportedly engaged in ethnic cleansing amid a 19-month conflict with government forces. Addressing the U.N. Security Council on Monday, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan emphasized that crimes are currently being used as weapons of war in Darfur. This conclusion, he stated, is based on a rigorous analysis of evidence gathered by his office. Sudan’s conflict erupted in April 2023 due to escalating tensions between military and paramilitary leaders, starting in Khartoum and spreading to Darfur. The region has a grim history of genocide and war crimes, particularly by the Janjaweed militias, which killed up to 300,000 people and displaced 2.7 million during the early 2000s. Trump’s Palestinian refugee idea falls flat with Arab allies and confounds a Republican senator Khan highlighted the ongoing involvement of government forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – a paramilitary group evolved from the Janjaweed – in alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide. He noted “very clear echoes” of the 2003 atrocities in the current conflict, with the same groups and communities suffering anew. The Biden administration recently declared the RSF and its affiliates responsible for genocide during Sudan’s ongoing civil war. Human Rights Watch has also reported intensified attacks by the RSF and allied militias on non-Arab ethnic groups, including the Masalit, in El Geneina, West Darfur’s capital, during 2023. Thousands were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced during these assaults. Khan confirmed that the ICC is preparing applications for arrest warrants related to alleged crimes in West Darfur, with particular attention to gender-based violence against women and girls. While no specific names or charges were disclosed, he stressed the urgent need for compliance with international humanitarian law to prevent further suffering. Some 70 people killed in attack on hospital in Sudan's Darfur region, WHO chief says Efforts to engage with the RSF included recent meetings between ICC representatives and paramilitary leaders. Khan expressed hope for meaningful action and vowed to monitor the situation closely. He concluded with an appeal for humanity, urging all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law “not as a charity, but as a necessity dictated by humanity.”

Bangladesh's former captain, Tamim Iqbal’s participation in the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy is still uncertain. After a meeting with the chief selector of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), Tamim said he is expecting a decision in the next two to three days. Tamim Hossain of BKSP wins gold medal in Taiwan National School Athletics Tamim met with Gazi Ashraf Hossain, the chief selector, on Wednesday in Sylhet. While meeting him, Tamim said he would make the call after discussing it with his family and well-wishers. With the deadline for submitting the 15-member Champions Trophy squad to the ICC approaching on January 12th, the selectors are keen to include Tamim after national team captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, expressed his desire to have Tamim in the team. In the discussion with Tamim, other selection committee members also accompanied the chief selector. Tamim slams BCB over lack of investment in cricket infrastructure “Discussions don't always come up with immediate results,” Gazi Ashraf said during a media briefing in Sylhet. “Players may need to consult with friends, family, and well-wishers before making a comeback. We won't give a direct answer. We'll have to wait for the final decision.” Tamim played for the national team more than a year ago. It’ll be a surprising move for the fans if the left-handed batter decides to make a return to the national team now. Tamim heads to India amid speculation about commentary job

Bangladesh superstar Shakib Al Hasan, one of cricket's greatest all rounders, has been barred from bowling in international cricket and domestic competitions, following an independent assessment at an ICC-accredited testing centre in the United Kingdom. The suspension, effective immediately, draws on one applying to competitions under the jurisdiction of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that came to light recently. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has now been made to understand the wider implication of that ban. Victory Day friendly cricket on Monday in Mirpur According to a BCB media release, it has received communication from the ECB confirming that the suspension is in line with clause 11.3 of the ICC regulations for illegal bowling actions. According to this regulation, if a player is banned from bowling by a National Cricket Federation, the suspension is automatically enforced in international cricket and all other domestic competitions globally. ICC member countries' boards however may override the ban and allow someone in Shakib's position to bowl in competitions under their jurisdiction. It's a bizarre turn of events for the Bangladesh cricketer, who has plied his trade for at least 17 years in international cricket without raising eyebrows over his action. During this time, he has taken over 700 international wickets, including 246 in Test cricket. For him to be barred from bowling at the age of 37 suggests something has changed in his action. While Shakib is barred from bowling, he remains eligible to play as a batter in all formats of cricket. The BCB said that Shakib will soon undergo reassessment at an ICC-accredited center, and a clearance would allow him to resume bowling in international cricket and in competitions governed by other National Cricket Federations. Bangladesh add Nahid Rana to T20I squad against West Indies “The BCB is in regular contact with the ECB, the ICC, and the player throughout this process,” the board said in its media release, mentioning that no further comments would be made at this time. Shakib’s bowling action was initially flagged during his participation in a competition under the ECB’s jurisdiction. The ICC-accredited testing revealed irregularities, leading to his suspension. However, as per clause 11.4 of the ICC regulations, a successful reassessment could overturn the decision. Shakib’s forthcoming reassessment will determine when he can resume bowling. Until then, Shakib is expected to continue to play as a batter.  

Pakistan hopes it will get a fair deal on “equality” when the International Cricket Council holds a virtual meeting on Friday to finalize details for next year’s Champions Trophy. There’s an impasse for the eight-team, 50-over format tournament after India declined to tour Pakistan for the event, scheduled to be held from Feb. 19 to March 9. A decades-long tense political situation between the two south Asian countries hasn’t see India playing international cricket in Pakistan since 2008 when it competed in Asia Cup. Both nations have competed in ICC tournaments with Pakistan touring India last year for the 50-overs World Cup. “I promise we’ll do what is best for Pakistan cricket,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said in Lahore. “We’re still clear in our stance that it’s not acceptable that we play cricket in India, and they don’t play cricket here. Whatever will happen, will happen on the basis of equality. We’ve told the ICC very clearly, and what happens next we’ll let you know.” The ICC board could decide the issue in a vote among members. “Whatever we do, we will make sure the best outcome for Pakistan is achieved,” Naqvi said. “But I repeat, and I am sure you know what I mean, it’s not possible that Pakistan play in India, and they don’t come here.” Earlier this month, the ICC told the PCB that the Board of Control for Cricket in India had informed the game’s governing body it will not tour Pakistan for the event. The PCB sent an email, asking the ICC reasons behind India’s refusal. 13-year-old cricketer Suryavanshi can become India's latest T20 batting sensation Naqvi said he’s been in “constant touch” with the ICC chairman Greg Barckley, but didn’t say whether he got the answers from the game’s governing body as to why India was not willing to tour Pakistan. Naqvi, who is also the interior minister in the Pakistan government, said that whatever decision the ICC makes on Friday, he will go to his government for the final approval. Pakistan has spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of three stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi — the three venues chosen for the Champions Trophy. Naqvi said he hoped the renovation of three stadiums will be completed well in time to host the event.  

International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim AA Khan on Wednesday announced that he is filing an application for a warrant of arrest against Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing before Pre-Trial Chamber I. After an extensive, independent and impartial investigation, his office has concluded that there are "reasonable grounds" to believe that Senior General and acting President Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Defence Services, bears "criminal responsibility" for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya, committed in Myanmar, and in part in Bangladesh. This is the first application for an arrest warrant against a high-level Myanmar government official that his office is filing. Since 14 November 2019, they have been investigating alleged crimes committed during the 2016 and 2017 waves of violence in Rakhine State, Myanmar, and the subsequent exodus of Rohingya from Myanmar to Bangladesh. ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan to visit Bangladesh Nov 25-28; will meet Prof Yunus "My office alleges that these crimes were committed between 25 August 2017 and 31 December 2017 by the armed forces of Myanmar, the Tatmadaw, supported by the national police, the border guard police, as well as non-Rohingya civilians," Khan, who is visiting Bangladesh, said in a statement. Today’s application draws upon a wide variety of evidence from numerous sources such as witness testimonies, including from a number of insider witnesses, documentary evidence and authenticated scientific, photographic and video materials. In collecting this evidence, the office has benefitted from the crucial support of States, civil society partners and international organisations. In particular, the cooperation, the confidence and the steadfast commitment from the Rohingya community, the support of the government of Bangladesh, and excellent cooperation from the United Nations Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar have been essential to advancing this investigation, Khan said. "I wish in particular to express my deep, profound gratitude to the Rohingya. More than a million members of their community have been forced to flee violence in Myanmar," he said, adding that they are grateful to all those who provided testimony and support to his office, those that have shared their stories, those that have given us information and material. Yunus, ICC discuss ways to file crimes against humanity case in July-Aug massacre In his visits to the Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar over the last three years, including just Tuesday, Khan met Rohingya women who spoke with clarity and purpose about the need for accountability. "I sat with youth activists who wanted to play their own role in seeking justice. And I spoke with men of all ages including the old and the sick, who were united in demanding to be seen and to have accountability for what befell them," he said, adding that their work seeks to vindicate their resilience and their hope in the power of the law. Khan said it is now for the judges of the International Criminal Court to determine whether this application meets the necessary standard for the issuance of an arrest warrant.  "In the event that the independent judges of the ICC issue the requested warrant, we will coordinate closely with the Registrar of the Court in all efforts to arrest the named individual," Khan said. When he first travelled to Bangladesh, he announced that they would seek to accelerate their investigations, and they committed to providing additional resources in that effort. "Since then, we have reinvigorated our activities in line with that promise. Today marks a culmination of this renewed focus in relation to this situation," Khan said. He said they will continue this focus in the coming weeks and months as we submit additional applications in this situation. "In doing so, we will be demonstrating, together with all of our partners, that the Rohingya have not been forgotten. That they, like all people around the world, are entitled to the protection of the law," Khan said.

Bangladesh lost the toss and were sent in to bowl first in the third and final T20I of their three-match series against India, which was also the farewell of Mahmudullah Riyad’s from the format. With the series already lost after defeats in the first two games, Bangladesh heads into this match hoping to end on a high note. Mahmudullah waves goodbye to T20Is The team made two changes to their lineup from the previous match. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Jaker Ali were rested, allowing Tanzid Hasan and Mahedi Hasan to step in. Ahead of the game, the Bangladesh team presented Mahmudullah with a commemorative crest, thanking him for his years of service to the national team. 3rd T20I: Bangladesh take on India Saturday, aiming for consolation win Mahmudullah, who debuted in T20Is back in 2007 in Kenya, will be playing his 141st match in the format today.

India got the expected winning start in the Super 8 and would like to put one foot in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 semis by beating Bangladesh, who must win this game to advance to the semis. Table: Schedule of BAN vs IND Match in the Current T20 World Cup’s Super 8 Stage  Match Details Match Date (BST) Teams Time (BST) Venue 47 22/6/2024 Bangladesh vs India 8:30 PM Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua . Preview of BAN vs IND Match in ICC World Cup Super 8 India are one of the only two teams in this World Cup who did not lose a game. Apart from the rain that hit the last match of the group stage against Canada, they won every single game of theirs. So far, India’s T20 World Cup 2024 journey has been a strange one. They do not have any batter who features in the top 15 run-scorers of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, which is not usual. Playing all the group games on the tricky surfaces of New York and Florida had an impact on their batting.  However, they regained form in the much more batting-friendly pitches of West Indies when they scored 180+ against Afghanistan. Moreover, their bowling attack was spot on and restricted every opponent to a severely low total. Thus, they didn’t lose a game even after not scoring much. Especially, their strike bowlers are in tremendous form picking up 18 wickets combined already. Read more: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024: Groups, Match Fixtures, and Venues Bangladesh also found the same relief from their bowling unit which has been rather brilliant so far. Both Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Rishad Hossain have picked 9 wickets each. Apart from that, Mustafizur Rahman has also picked up 7 wickets. Nonetheless, their batting is out of form at this moment. It seems like they just cannot find a way to click at this point.  Bangladesh ended up scoring only 140 on a pitch which was brilliant to bat on. Therefore, it is increasingly seeming hard to see Bangladesh do much in the Super 8 with such miserable batting form. It is not the case for India who can rely on their batting now after scoring 181 against a solid Afghanistan bowling attack. Additionally, all of their batters scored at an excellent strike rate except for skipper Rohit Sharma. As a result, India will feel confident about facing Bangladeshi bowling attack ahead of the game. One thing that might be a matter of slight concern for them is their opening pair which consists of two of the greatest hitters of the generation but yet not clicking. Their highest opening stand is 22 which is quite underwhelming. India would be confident about their openers getting runs but it will be in their minds as well. Read more: Venue Guide: Stadiums of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Table: India Team’s Performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup At a Glance India Performance in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Match Played 5 Won 4 Lost 0 Tie/ NR 1 Highest Run-scorer Rishabh Pant (116) Highest Wicket Taker Arshdeep Singh (10) . Table: Bangladesh Team’s Performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup At a Glance Bangladesh Performance in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Match Played 5 Won 3 Lost 2 Tie/NR 0 Highest Run-scorer Towhid Hridoy (135) Highest Wicket Taker Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rishad Hossain (9) . H2H T20I Records Between Bangladesh and India So Far Table: BAN vs IND head-to-head records in T20I So Far Head-to-Head Records in T20I Matches Played India Won Bangladesh Won TIE/NR 13 12 1 0 . Table: BAN vs IND head-to-head records in the T20 World Cup Tournaments So Far Head-to-Head Records in T20 World Cup Matches Played India Won Bangladesh Won TIE/NR 4 4 0 0 . The tie was largely dominated by India where Bangladesh could manage only 1 win against them. India is one of many opponents whom Bangladesh couldn’t beat in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Probable Lineups Most Probable XI of India Team Rohit Sharma ©, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav Most Probable XI of Bangladesh Team Tanzid Hasan, Litton Kumer Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto ©, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman Key Players to Watch in India Team Virat Kohli Virat Kohli had an unexpectedly poor campaign by his extremely high standards. But he gave symbols of coming back to runs with his 24 against Afghanistan. It can be felt that he will have a big score soon and no opponent would be more suitable than Bangladesh against whom he averages 96.5 in the T20Is Suryakumar Yadav With his half-century in the last game, Suryakumar Yadav is surely gaining ground in this ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and might be the most impactful batter against Bangladesh. Jasprit Bumrah The ace bowler of India is going to be crucial against Bangladesh, against a struggling top order who find it difficult to deal with raw pace, Jasprit Bumrah will be key to picking early wickets and rattling the top-order of Bangladesh's batting line-up. Read more: Analysis of India Squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World 2024 Key Players to Watch in  Bangladesh Tanzim Hasan Sakib Bangladesh has been largely reliant on their bowlers to get a result in this World Cup. This game is not going to be any different it seems. Therefore, the highest wicket-taker for Bangladesh this time would be the most important player for them in this game as well. Mustafizur Rahman Mustafizur Rahman and India go a long way back. He is simply in a different mode while facing India. Bangladesh team need him to step up once again and dominate the Indian batters like he used to do in his early and best days.   Litton Kumer Das This might seem a bit controversial given the current situation. But like Mustafizur Rahman, Litton Kumer Das also loves performing against India. Everyone will remember the exceptional innings of 60 runs from him in the 2022 T20 World Cup. In a situation, where big runs are necessary to win and the top order is heavily underperforming, Bangladesh fans will hope for Litton Das to bring that Adelaide innings from the 2022 T20 World Cup at Antigua this time. Verdict India are the favorites in every match in this ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. They would not want to break their winning streak. The BAN vs IND T20 match in the Super 8 stage might not be different either. However, Bangladesh have a slender hope given their batters' performance. Read more: Analyzing Bangladesh Squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024

Bangladesh secured a victory over Sri Lanka in their opening match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 in Dallas, Texas on Friday. Over half of the spectators at Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, filled to capacity, left with smiles brought on by their team's win. To watch this match in USA’s cricket capital, Dallas, thousands of expatriate Bangladeshis gathered from around the USA. This win does Bangladesh's chances for advancing to the next phase a big favour, while Sri Lanka, already defeated by South Africa in their first match, now faces a challenging path. Sri Lanka, asked to bat first, were restricted to a paltry 124 runs for nine wickets. Bangladesh chased down the target with two wickets in hand and six balls remaining. T20 World Cup: Bowlers do the business for Tigers, restricting Sri Lanka to 124/9 However, the victory was not as easy as the target might have suggested. Despite a below-par score, Sri Lanka's total proved to be a difficult chase for Bangladesh. Bangladesh lost their struggling opener, Soumya Sarkar, for a duck in the first over. Soumya attempted to sweep a good-length delivery but top-edged it to Wanindu Hasaranga at mid-on. The next over saw the dismissal of the other opener, Tanzid Hasan. Nuwan Thushara bowled a full-length delivery that angled inwards. Tanzid tried to drive but was beaten by the late swing, resulting in his off stump being shattered. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto soon followed, also dismissed cheaply, extending his struggles. He was lured out of position by a wide full-length delivery and edged a sharp catch to Charith Asalanka. At this point, Bangladesh found themselves in a precarious position despite the low target. Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy worked hard to keep Bangladesh in the contest. Embassy Cup Cricket Carnival 2024 Kicks off in Dhaka Towhid launched a particularly impressive assault in the 12th over, smashing three sixes off three consecutive deliveries from Sri Lankan captain Wanindu Hasaranga. The first two sixes were slog sweeps off Hasaranga's googlies. The third six came when the bowler tried to adjust his line with a wide full-length delivery outside off. However, Towhid was ready with an inside-out shot over cover for his third consecutive six. These sixes significantly boosted Bangladesh's run rate, easing the pressure on the remaining batters. Litton Das and Shakib Al Hasan departed quickly, bringing a sense of tension, but Mahmudullah Riyad finished the job with a brief but impactful 16 runs. Sri Lankan bowler Nuwan Thushara took four wickets, including two in consecutive deliveries. Given the nature of Bangladesh's victory, a crucial question arises: has this win boosted their confidence ahead of the challenging clash against South Africa on a tricky New York surface? Earlier, leg spinner Rishad Ahmed and experienced pacer Mustafizur Rahman bowled brilliantly to bring Bangladesh back into the game after Sri Lanka were put in to bat and got off to a fast start in the powerplay. Taskin Ahmed, who was initially questionable for the match due to a fitness issue, struck in the second over to remove Kusal Mendis for 10 runs. Mendis had started aggressively with two boundaries before being dismissed. Sri Lanka were 48/1 off 5 overs, when Mustafiz was introduced into the attack. He then took two wickets in the sixth and eighth overs. He dismissed Kamindu Mendis with his first ball and then Pathum Nissanka, who top-scored for Sri Lanka with 47 runs off 28 balls. Nissanka's innings included seven fours and a six. Rishad Hossain, the legspinner who is steadily gaining prominence in Bangladesh cricket, bowled a crucial 14th over. He removed both Charith Asalanka (19 runs) and Wanindu Hasaranga (a golden duck) in two consecutive deliveries, breaking a promising partnership. Rishad ended with figures of 3/22 off 4 overs, that earned him the man-of-the-match award. Sri Lanka's innings faltered in the final overs as Tanzim Hasan Sakib claimed two wickets in the 20th over, including the key wicket of Angelo Mathews. Mathews was caught at short third man for 16 runs, becoming Sakib's first World Cup wicket. Read more: T20 World Cup: Bangladesh aims to unleash full potential despite challenges

After a shocking start in the current T20 World Cup with a humiliating defeat against South Africa, Sri Lanka would look to bounce back in the tournament with a confident win. For that, they will face Bangladesh, who are not in great shape at the moment. Let’s take a look at the BAN vs SL match preview in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.   Table: Schedule of BAN vs SL Match in the 2024 ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup Match Details Match Date (BST) Teams Time (BST) Venue 15 8/6/2024 Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka  6:30 AM Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas Read more: Analysis of Australia Squad in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Preview of the BAN vs SL Match in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup Sri Lanka had a really poor and unexpected start at this World Cup. They were wrapped up for only 77 against South Africa in New York. However, their bowlers put up a good fight and stretched the game to the 17th over against the explosive Proteas batting line-up. Their bowling performance should give them some serious confidence and hope ahead of this game.  Additionally, despite the poor batting performance, they might still feel they have the upper hand against this Bangladesh team. Bangladesh had come to the USA early and played a series against the hosts as well for better preparation and adapting to the conditions. Everyone can argue about how well the preparation went. They lost the series against the USA 2-1, their winning game was against a USA side that rested some of their regular starters, and then had a hapless batting performance against India in the warm-up game. Read more: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024: Groups, Match Fixtures, and Venues Table: Sri Lanka’s Performance in the T20I Matches in 2024 Sri Lanka Performance in T20I Format in 2024 Played 10 Won 6 Lost 4 Tie/NR 0 Highest Run-scorer Kusal Mendis (303) Highest Wicket Taker Wanindu Hasaranga (15) Table: Bangladesh’s Performance in the T20I Matches in 2024 Bangladesh Performance in T20I Matches in 2024 Played 11 Won 6 Lost 5 Tie/NR 0 Highest Run-scorer Towhid Hridoy (263) Highest Wicket Taker Mustafizur Rahman (15) Read more: T20 World Cup: Bangladesh aims to unleash full potential despite challenges Both teams have the same problem but in different manners. Bangladesh’s batting lineup crumbles because of the failure of the top order. It has been misfiring miserably this year. Their opening pair went past 30 only 4 times this year and it was undone 4 times in less than 10 runs. The performances of Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, and Nazmul Hossain Shanto are not up to the mark. Tanzid Tamim has been a breath of fresh air scoring 3 half-centuries in his first 7 games. Still, there is a lot to correct in this batting line-up. However, their middle order has been clicking so far. Four of their top five run-scorers this year have been batting in the middle order.  Sri Lanka, on the other hand, is in the opposite situation. While their top-order is firing well, it is their middle-order who are not putting up performances. Their lack of batting depth is causing big problems for them. Even in the game against South Africa, they were at 31/2 from where they lost 8 wickets for a meager 46 runs.  Read more: Venue Guide: Stadiums of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Both the teams won’t have much complaints about their bowling as it has been decent throughout the years. For Bangladesh, their batters are not giving them much to fight with. However, the potential absence of their two strike bowlers, Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam, adds to Bangladesh’s woes.  BAN vs SL H2H Records in T20I Format and T20 World Cups So Far Table: Head-to-head T20I Records between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka So far Head-to-Head Records in T20I Matches Played Sri Lanka Won Bangladesh Won TIE/NR 16 11 5 0 Read more: Analyzing Bangladesh Squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Table: BD vs SL H2H Records in T20 World Cups So far Head-to-Head Records in T20 World Cup Matches Played Sri Lanka Won Bangladesh Won TIE/NR 2 2 0 0 Another sign of hope for the Sri Lankans is the head-to-head records. They usually have the upper hand over Bangladesh. Sri Lanka won the last 4 out of 5 games against Bangladesh. Adding to that, they won the latest series against Tigers this year in Bangladesh. The Sri Lanka team are yet to be beaten by Bangladesh in a T20 World Cup match so far. Read more: Squad Analysis of Sri Lanka for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Bangladesh can gain confidence by how the pitch is playing. There have been plenty of low-scoring encounters in this T20 World Cup. The game of Sri Lanka vs South Africa is an example of that. Bangladesh usually does better in slow pitches. Dallas, where the game will be played saw Nepal and Netherlands fight it out in a low-scoring battle. However, this field also saw the first game between Canada and the USA where the USA chased down 194 of Canada with 14 balls to spare. With their batting form, Bangladesh would hope this to not be the case in their game. Probable Lineups in the BAN vs SL T20 Match Most Probable XI of the Sri Lanka Team Wanindu Hasaranga (Captain), Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Dhanajya De Silva, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, and Nuwan Thushara. Read more: Stars who can be game-changers for Bangladesh in T20 World Cup Most Probable XI of Bangladesh Team Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Litton Kumer Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Sakib, and Mustafizur Rahman. Key Players to Watch in Bangladesh Team Tanzid Hasan As mentioned before, Tanzid Hasan has been in the new era of Bangladesh's top-order since his debut. He scored 237 runs in his 7 games averaging 47. If Bangladesh want to put up a big total, Tanzid has to perform one of his best games so far to contribute largely to the team Tiger’s victory. Mustafizur Rahman Mustafizur Rahman is always a key bowler for Bangladesh in T20Is. With the probable absence of Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur is supposed to lead the team’s bowling attack. He has a good T20I bowling record against Sri Lanka with 14 wickets in 12 innings striking at 18.85. Without a doubt, he needs to be at his best in this game. Read more: Analysis of India Squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World 2024 Towhid Hridoy Towhid Hridoy is the highest run-scorer for Bangladesh this year in T20Is with 263 runs and a couple of half-centuries. He also scored 36.86 runs on average this year. Bangladesh needs him to go big in this game to have a solid winning chance. Key Players to Watch in Sri Lanka Wanindu Hasaranga Sri Lanka will rely on their skipper heavily for this game. He bowls in the middle overs where he is supposed to face the in-form middle order of Bangladesh. If he manages to do what he usually does against them, Sri Lanka will feel inches closer to a win in this game. Kusal Mendis Kusal Mendis is the highest scorer for Sri Lanka so far in 2024. Given that Bangladesh’s batting order has been clumsy, Sri Lanka might feel putting up a good total on the board does 90% of the job for them to win. And it does not need to put more emphasis on how much Sri Lanka would rely on their most in-form and productive batter to deliver the goods this time. Read more: Fixtures of Bangladesh Team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Matheesha Pathirana Matheesha Pathirana has been in great form with 11 wickets in his last 6 games and coming from a wonderful IPL campaign. He was also the best bowler for Sri Lanka in the game against South Africa. He can give his team an early advantage against Bangladesh’s clumsy top order. If he does his job well, Sri Lanka have a real winning chance. Verdict  In the 2024 ICC T20 Men’s World Cup tournament, both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have similar kinds of issues with their respective teams. However, the recent forms and history between these two sides give Sri Lanka the edge. As a result, Sri Lanka will enter the BAN vs SL T20I match as favorites in this enticing rivalry of cricket. Read more: USA vs BAN T20I Series 2024: Analysis of Bangladesh’s Series Defeat Against USA