The first round of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 has heated up after West Indies and Sri Lanka’s losses to Scotland and Namibia in their respective groups' opening fixtures. The former two World Cup winners are now in danger of being eliminated from the first round. Let’s have a look at the West Indies and Sri Lanka’s current group phase scenarios. 2022 ICC Twenty20 World Cup: Group A’s present scenario Namibia's victory over Sri Lanka in the tournament's opening match on October 16 came as a surprise. But their victory over the Lankan side has made the group A’s point standings wide open. Sri Lanka came back strong against the UAE after losing their first match by 55 runs. They beat the United Arab Emirates by 79 runs and moved up to the third spot in the point standings. Read: T20 World Cup 2022: Key stats for Bangladesh match venues On the other hand, Namibia failed to maintain the momentum after their historic triumph over Sri Lanka. They were defeated by the Netherlands by 5 wickets and dropped to second place. The Netherlands are currently the unbeaten side in this group after two consecutive victories over the UAE and Namibia, respectively. They have taken the top spot with 4 points, but their run rate is the major concern at the moment. Despite winning two matches, the Dutch side is still behind in net run rate compared to Namibia and Sri Lanka. They have to beat the Lankan team in their final group stage fixtures on Thursday in order to qualify for the Super 12s. Otherwise, they have to rely on the match between Namibia and the UAE, where the latter is already out of the competition. Both Namibia and Sri Lanka will move to the next round if they win their respective final fixtures in the group. However, who will top the group depends on the run rates. Given the current scenario, Namibia will likely top the group if they beat the UAE and advance to the Group 1 Super 12 Round. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, are most likely to finish second in the final point table of this group if they overcome the Netherlands on Thursday. The Lankan side will join Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and South Africa in Group 2 of the Super 12s if they finish second in the standings. 2022 T20 World Cup Group A points table Team Match Win Lose Points NRR Netherlands 2 2 0 4 +0.149 Namibia 2 1 1 2 +1.277 Sri Lanka 2 1 1 2 +0.600 UAE 2 0 2 0 -2.028   Read: T20 World Cup: Rain plays spoilsport for Bangladesh ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2022: Group B’s current scenario Like Sri Lanka, the two-time Twenty20 World Cup champions, West Indies, suffered a huge defeat against Scotland by 42 runs in their tournament opener on October 17. The Caribbean side made a comeback in their second match, beating Zimbabwe by 31 runs on Wednesday. The West Indies moved up to the third position in Group B's point standings. The Scottish side remained in the top spot despite losing to Ireland by 6 wickets in Hobart thanks to better run rates. Zimbabwe remained in second position, while the Ireland team is in fourth place at the moment. Group B is wide open and any team can finish top in the points standings depending on the final match day’s outings. On Friday, West India will meet Ireland, while Scotland will face Zimbabwe. The winners of these two fixtures will advance to the Super 12 Round. Depending on the current run rate, the West Indies are in a difficult position. They have to beat the Irish side by a big margin in order to finish top of the group. The Caribbean side will advance to Group 2 of the Super 12 Round if they finish at the top of the points table. T20 World Cup 2022 Group B points table Team Match Win Lose Points NRR Scotland 2 1 1 2 +0.759 Zimbabwe 2 1 1 2 +0.000 West Indies 2 1 1 2 -0.275 Ireland 2 1 1 2 -0.468 Verdict No team has yet secured a spot in the Super 12 Round after the end of two games for each side. Which two teams from each group advance to the next round will be determined by the outcomes of the first round's remaining matches. Sri Lanka and West Indies must win their respective games against the Netherlands and Ireland in order to advance to the Super 12s of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. Read: ICC T20 World Cup: Only Shakib and Rohit have competed in all events to date

Bangladesh was expecting at least one associate nation in their Super 12 round group, but Namibia gave a huge blow to that after beating Sri Lanka by 55 runs in the T20 World Cup 2022 opener yesterday. The Tigers now should be ready to face both Sri Lanka and West Indies, along with India, Pakistan, and South Africa in their group fixtures. How can Sri Lanka and the West Indies end up in Group 2? Two teams from each of the two groups in the first round will advance to the Super 12s. The winner of group A and runner-up of group B will play in the next round's Group 1. On the other hand, the winner of Group B and the runner-up of Group A will play in Group 2 of the Super 12 phase. Read: T20 World Cup 2022: Namibia stuns in opening match by beating Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, Namibia, Netherlands, and UAE are battling each other to finish in the top two in the first round's Group A. The West Indies, Scotland, Zimbabwe, and Ireland are playing against each other for a spot in the next round. If Sri Lanka finishes second in group A and the West Indies finishes first in Group B in the first round, then both teams will play in Group 2 in the Super 12 phase. Group A Scenario The Sri Lankan team was considered the favourite to finish top of Group 1 prior to the tournament. But after a comprehensive defeat by Namibia on Sunday, Sri Lanka’s possibility of finishing top of the points table is not in their hands anymore. The Lankan side’s main priority at the moment is to win the remaining fixtures of the group and earn a place in the Super 12s. Namibia, on the other hand, will finish top of the group if they win all of their matches. However, if they lose one match in their remaining two fixtures of this round, they could end up being second depending on how Sri Lanka performs in their other games. The Netherlands started their campaign with a 3-wicket victory over the UAE on Sunday. They have a good chance to advance to the next round if they beat Namibia. The UAE is the weakest team in this group and will likely lose all of their fixtures. If Namibia, the Netherlands, and Sri Lanka all have two points each, then net run rates will decide which two teams will advance to the Super 12s. Read: Bangladesh T20 World Cup 2022 Squad: Who’s in, who’s out? Bangladesh’s fixtures against Sri Lanka and West Indies if they meet in the Super 12s If Sri Lanka play in Group 2 in the Super 12s, Bangladesh will start their T20 World Cup 2022 campaign with a match against the Lankan side at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart, on October 24. If the West Indies play in Group 2, Bangladesh will meet them on October 30 at the Gabba, Brisbane. Bangladesh’s remaining Super 12 round fixtures are against South Africa on October 27 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. They will play against India on November 2 at the Adelaide Oval, and at the same venue, they will meet Pakistan on November 6. Bottom Line After a disappointing loss to Namibia, Sri Lanka has a good chance of finishing second in Group A. On the other hand, the West Indies are the hot favourites to win Group B. It would be quite concerning for Bangladesh's bid to win at least one game at the T20 World Cup 2022 if both Sri Lanka and the West Indies qualified to play in Group 2 of the Super 12. Read: T20 World Cup 2022: Where to watch live in Bangladesh via TV, OTT, and apps

The International Cricket Council announced the three finalists for the ICC Player of the Month for May 2022. The veteran batter from Bangladesh, Mushfiqur Rahim, is one of the nominees for the coveted individual award. Sri Lankans Angelo Mathews and Asitha Fernando are the other two candidates. All three candidates had a great outing in the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Test series 2022 in the month of May. Let's take a look at how these players performed in the month of May. ICC Player of the Month for May 2022: Who has a Strong Chance of Winning the Award? Nominated players - Mushfiqur Rahim, Angelo Mathews and Asitha Fernando all had significant contributions to their respective teams in the recently concluded Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Test series 2022. Mushfiqur Rahim was the top performer for Bangladesh, while Angelo Mathews and Asitha Fernando played key roles in winning the series for Sri Lanka. Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh) Test: 2 | Runs: 303 | Ave: 151.50 | HS: 175* | 100s: 2 Mushfiqur Rahim made two centuries in the month of May during the Test series against Sri Lanka. Rahim completed his 5,000 Test runs during the first Test in Chattogram, becoming the first Bangladesh player to do so. He also made a hundred (105) and a 165-run partnership with Litton Das in the first innings of the first Test. Their effort helped the hosts to take a good first innings lead over the visitors. Read Shakib Al Hasan's Captaincy Record in Test Cricket: An Overview Mushfiqur also played an unbeaten 175*-run innings in the first innings of the second Test and, more importantly, his record-breaking 272-run stand with Litton Das for the sixth wicket helped Bangladesh to make a strong comeback in the first innings. Bangladesh lost the series 1-0 to Sri Lanka, so Mushfiqur's chance of winning the award is slimmer than the other two nominees because of that. Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka) Test: 2 | Runs: 344 | Ave: 172.00 | HS: 199 | 100s: 2 Angelo Mathews had a magnificent Test series against Bangladesh last month. He played a brilliant 199-run knock in the first innings of the first Test, which helped Sri Lanka put up a commendable total. However, Mathews's contribution in the second Test is even better. His 199-run partnership with Dinesh Chandimal on the sixth wicket helped Sri Lanka to take more than a 100-run lead over Bangladesh in the first innings of the series-decider match. Mathews was unbeaten with 145* runs. Sri Lanka went on to win the match by 10 wickets. Read ENG vs NZ First Test 2022: England Seize Control of Series Opening Match The experienced Angelo Mathews was the heart of the Lankan batting line-up in the Bangladesh series, and it was thanks to his contributions with the bat that they were able to defeat the hosts. Therefore, Mathews is the big favourite to win the award. Asitha Fernando (Sri Lanka) Test: 2 | Wkts: 13 | Ave: 16.61 | BBI: 6/51 | 5W: 1 Asitha Fernando stunned everyone by showing discipline and an effective bowling performance against Bangladesh in the Test series. Fernando had shown his talent by picking up three wickets in the first match, but it was his performance in the second Test that caught the eyes of everyone. Read Joe Root Reaches 10,000 Runs Milestone as England win First Test Against New Zealand In the first innings of the second match, Asitha and Kasun dismantled Bangladesh's batting order by picking up 9 wickets between them, with Asitha taking four of them. Asitha was even more destructive in the second innings, picking up 6 wickets and helping his team bowl Bangladesh out for only 169 runs. The target was only 29 for the Lankans, which they comfortably chased down without losing a wicket. Asitha Fernando is a strong contender for the award. Verdict The three players nominated for the ICC Player of the Month for May 2022 are all deserving candidates. Angelo Mathews, who was the most impactful player in the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka series, seems to have a better chance of winning it. Mathews was the winner of the Player of the Series award, which may give him an edge over other nominees. Asitha Fernando, who was the most troublesome bowler for Bangladesh's batting line-up, also has a strong chance to win the award. Mushfiqur Rahim was Bangladesh's best player during the Sri Lanka series. It won't come as a surprise if Mushfiqur outbids the other two for this honor.  Read Tamim, Siddons among group off to West Indies tonight

The Sri Lanka cricket team arrived in Dhaka on Sunday (May 8) afternoon to take part in a Test series against Bangladesh. The Lankans should feel confident ahead of the contest as they have a way better Test record than the tigers. However, Bangladesh team’s performance has been improving, and they have minimized the gap in recent years. Will Sri Lanka maintain their dominance, or will Bangladesh end their hegemony and make history in the BAN vs SL Test Series 2022? Let's take a look at head-to-head Test records between the two teams. Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka: Head-to-head Bilateral Test series record The Sri Lanka Cricket Board announced the best possible squad for the Bangladesh series, which includes some uncapped players. On the other hand, all the expected names were included in the Tigers Test squad. The eleventh bilateral Test series (BAN vs SL):  This will be their eleventh Test series together. Both sides had played 10 bilateral Test series previously. Sri Lanka hosted six series, while Bangladesh hosted four. Nine series have been won by Sri Lanka, with one series ending in a draw. In fact, Bangladesh have only defeated Sri Lanka once. Read Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Test Series 2022: Squad comparison Noteworthy Test records between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka The following are some of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka's most noteworthy Test records. Significant Test Records between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka   Bangladesh Sri Lanka Matches Played (22) 1 17 Most Runs Mohammad Ashraful (1090 runs in 26 innings) Kumar Sangakkara (1816 runs in 21 innings) Highest Score Mushfiqur Rahim (200) Kumar Sangakkara (319) Most Hundred Mohammad Ashraful (5) Kumar Sangakkara (7) Most Wickets Shakib Al Hasan (29) Muthiah Muralidaran (89) Best Bowling Figures Shakib Al Hasan (5/70) Rangana Herath (7/89) Most Matches Mushfiqur Rahim (15) Kumar Sangakkara (15) Highest Partnership Mohammad Ashraful and Mushfiqur Rahim (267) FDM Karunaratne and DM de Silva (345) Most Catches Shahriar Nafees (8) Mahela Jayawardene (17) Most Dismissals Litton Das (16) Prasanna Jayawardene (29)  Source:  https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Mosaddek or Nayeem: Who Should Play in CTG Test of BAN vs SL Series 2022? BAN vs SL Test series 2022: Venue Stats First Test (15-19 May):  The first Test match of the forthcoming BAN vs SL Test Series 2022 will be played at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. Test Matches: 21 | Highest Individual Innings: 319 (Kumar Sangakkara) | Best Bowling Figure in an Innings: 7/36 (Shakib Al Hasan) | Highest Team innings: 713/9d | Lowest Team Innings: 119  Bangladesh’s Test record (ZACS): Win: 2 | Lost: 13 | Draw: 6 Sri Lanka’s Test record (ZACS): Win: 2 | Lost: 0 | Draw: 2. Read Australia names full-strength squads for Sri Lanka tour Second Test (23-27 May):  The second Test match of the series will be held at the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. Test Matches: 22 | Highest Individual Innings: 226 (Azhar Ali) | Best Bowling Figure in an Innings: 8/39 (Taijul Islam) | Highest Team innings: 730/6d | Lowest Team Innings: 87  Bangladesh’s Test record (SBNCS): Win: 6 | Lost: 13 | Draw: 3 Sri Lanka’s Test record (SBNCS): Win: 3 | Lost: 0 | Draw: 0. Read Nayeem added to Test squad to replace injured Mehidy Recent Test records of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka Neither team has had a good record in the longer-version format in recent years. Bangladesh have lost eight of their eleven Test matches since 2021, winning only two. On the contrary, Sri Lanka have lost five of their eleven Test matches since 2021, while winning three. Both sides have failed to perform well in the Test format. Some of Bangladesh's prominent players have continued to skip Test series following the post covid-19 phase. On the other hand, Sri Lanka have failed to compete as a unit. The hosts should be in a stronger position to put the visitors under strain since all of Bangladesh's senior players are available for this series. Read Sri Lankan cricket team arrives in Dhaka Bottom Line Sri Lanka have the upper hand against Bangladesh in a head-to-head battle. A relatively inexperienced Lankan side will play a competitive Tigers Test team in the BAN vs SL Test Series 2022. This group should be confident about winning a Test series against Sri Lanka for the first time since they showed some potential in their previous away Test series. However, this Sri Lankan team isn't as good as it once was, and their recent results have been disappointing. The visitors would face huge pressure from the hosts during the series. Therefore, Sri Lanka's chances of dominating Bangladesh in the next series are slim. Read  Mustafiz should play Tests, not pick and choose: Khaled Mahmud

The top eight teams in the ICC T20 team rankings directly qualified to the Super 12s phase. The remaining four teams will be determined through a group phase, which will begin a week before the main event. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka did not qualify for the Super 12, thus they will compete in the group stage to advance to the next round. The six teams who qualified for the tournament through the 2019 ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier will join them. Let's have a look at the T20 World Cup 2021 group phase fixtures. Read:IPL 2021 Final: Key Stats, Team News Ahead of CSK vs. KKR Championship Match Group A Fixtures of T20 World Cup 2021  Ireland, Namibia, the Netherlands, and Sri Lanka are the four teams in Group A. Among the teams, Sri Lanka are the clear favorites to advance to the Super 12s. However, the Lankan side may encounter stiff challenges playing against Ireland and the Netherlands. Ireland are a promising team with the potential to upset strong opponents on any given day. On the other hand, the Netherlands are known for being a giant killer. They have a history of upsetting big teams in World Cup tournaments. Therefore, when confronting these opponents, Sri Lanka must take them seriously.  Namibia are a very weak team, thus making it to the group stage of the World Cup is a significant accomplishment. The winner of this group will play in Group 1, while the runner-up will play in Group 2 in the Super 12s round.   Read:Tigers lose the plot while fielding to lose first warm-up against SL ICC T20 World Cup 2021 Group A Schedule  Date Fixture Venue Time October 18 (Monday) Ireland vs Netherlands Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi 4 PM October 18 (Monday) Sri Lanka vs Namibia Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi 8 PM October 20 (Wednesday) Namibia vs. Netherlands Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi 4 PM October 20 (Wednesday) Sri Lanka vs. Ireland Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi 8 PM October 22 (Friday) Namibia vs. Ireland Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah 4 PM October 22 (Friday) Sri Lanka vs. Netherlands Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah 8 PM  Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read Defeat in warm-up match not a big thing: Minhajul Group B Fixtures of T20 World Cup 2021    Bangladesh, Scotland, Oman, and Papua New Guinea are the four teams in Group B. On paper, Bangladesh appear to be the clear favorite to finish top in Group B's points table. Scotland will put Bangladesh to the test when the two teams play on Sunday (October 17). Whoever wins the contest will be favourite to take the first position in the points table.  One of the T20 World Cup 2021 hosts, Oman and Oceania’s Papua New Guinea have a slim chance of progressing to the next round. Participating in the preliminary round of the Twenty20 World Cup will be a significant achievement for both the associate nations of the International Cricket Council.  The winner of this group will play in Group 2, while the runner-up will play in Group 1 in the Super 12s round of the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2021. Read: Mahmudullah out of Bangladesh’s first warm-up match ICC T20 World Cup 2021 Group B Schedule   Date Fixture Venue Time October 17 (Sunday) Oman vs Papua New Guinea Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Oman 4 PM October 17 (Sunday) Bangladesh vs. Scotland Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Oman 8 PM October 19 (Tuesday) Scotland vs. Papua New Guinea Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Oman 4 PM October 19 (Tuesday) Oman vs. Bangladesh  Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Oman 8 PM October 21 (Thursday) Bangladesh vs. Papua New Guinea Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Oman 4 PM October 21 (Thursday) Oman vs. Scotland Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Oman 8 PM Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read:IPL 2021 Eliminator: Shakib Scores the Winning Run as Kolkata Secure Qualifier 2 Verdict As per the fixture, the competitive group in the T20 World Cup 2021 is Group A. Ireland, the Netherlands, and Sri Lanka are set to compete for a spot in the Super 12s Round of World Cup. Group B includes Bangladesh and Scotland. These two teams are considerably stronger than the rest of the group. The top two teams in each group will progress to the Super 12s phase. As a result, a tough contest can be expected among the participating teams in the group phase for a berth in the next round.   

One of the best white-ball bowlers of all time, Lasith Malinga had numerous memorable moments during his playing career that fans would remember for the rest of their lives. Malinga declared his retirement from both ODI cricket after the ICC World Cup 2019. However, he preferred to play T20 cricket for a few more years. Malinga last played for Sri Lanka against the Windies in March 2020, and he announced his retirement from franchise cricket in January 2021. Finally, he declared his retirement from all forms of cricket in September 2021. Let’s take a look at Lasith Malinga's illustrious career.       Lasith Malinga’s Background Malinga was born on August 28, 1983, at Rathgama, Galle in Sri Lanka. He grew up in humble circumstances. In his boyhood, he used to play cricket with friends on the sand banks beside a river. While attending Vidyaloka College in Galle, Malinga began his cricket career. Former Sri Lankan paceman Champaka Ramanayake found Malinga there. He extended an invitation to him to join the Galle Cricket Club. Read:All-rounder Nasir eyes a national team comeback Champaka Ramanayake had a huge impact in his initial cricket career. He aided him in his development as a bowler and fostered him during his early years. At a Glance: Lasith Malinga's Cricket Career Lasith Malinga is considered one of the best fast bowlers in cricket history. He is known as 'Slinga Malinga.' for his unique round-arm action. Lasith Malinga made his international debut in Test cricket against Australia in 2004 and impressed the great Australian team by bagging six wickets in the match. Malinga made his ODI debut against the UAE in the 2004 Asia Cup, and he played his maiden T20I against England in 2006. Read:Aich Mollah's century guide Bangladesh to clinch Youth ODI series beating Afghanistan by 121 runs Despite an impressive start, Lasith Malinga retired from Test cricket in 2011 to focus on his limited-overs career. Malinga has 101 wickets in 30 Tests at an average of 33.15 before declaring his Test retirement. His best Test bowling figure was 5/50. Lasith Malinga competed in 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019 ICC ODI World Cup, finishing runner-up in the 2007 and 2011 editions. The 2014 T20 World Cup was Malinga's most successful tournament for Sri Lanka. He was named captain only before the competition because Dinesh Chandimal was suspended. Sri Lanka won a World Cup for the first time since the 1996 World Cup, thanks to Malinga's leadership. Read England Clinch Series Against Sri Lanka; Windies Stun South Africa in the First T20I Malinga later captained Sri Lanka in a number of series and tournaments, though without much success. The right-arm pacer was named to the ICC's team of the tournament several times. He also shared the most international hat-tricks with Pakistan's Wasim Akram. Lasith Malinga was plagued by injuries throughout his career. He had to miss numerous international matches due to a knee injury. Lasith Malinga was a popular player among the franchises in T20 leagues around the world. He regularly featured in IPL, BBL, CPL, and BPL. He now holds the record for most wickets (170) in the Indian Premier League and the best bowling figure (6/7) in the Big Bash League. Lasith Malinga’s International Career Test Match Wkts BBI Ave Econ SR 5W 30 101 5/50 33.15 3.85 51.50 3 ODI 226 338 6/38 28.87 5.35 32.30 8 T20I 84 107 5/6 20.79 7.42 16.80 2 Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ Read: Pakistan to tour Bangladesh later this year for three T20Is, two Tests Notable Cricket Record of Lasith Malinga Lasith Malinga broke several records and set up new records particularly in white ball during his almost two decades of professional cricket career. Here are some of the notable cricket records by the coveted right-arm medium pacer. Stats in Numbers 3. The first and only bowler in One-Day International cricket history to take three hat-tricks. 4. Lasith Malinga is the only bowler to capture four-wickets in a succession in international cricket. 6. Malinga's best T20 bowling figures (6/7) came against Perth Scorchers for Melbourne Stars in the 2012-13 Big Bash League. This is also the best bowling figure in the history of the Big Bash. 15. He holds the record for most four-wicket hauls (15) in T20s. 100. The first bowler to take 100 wickets in all three formats of international cricket. 107. Lasith Malinga finishes the Men's Twenty20 Internationals as the highest wicket-taker with 107 wickets. 152. Malinga has the most 'bowled' wickets of any player in the T20s, with 152. 170. Lasith Malinga has the most wickets in the Indian Premier League (170). Read:ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Bangladesh Team needs to improve three things before the tournament starts Bottom Line Lasith Malinga was an exceptional cricketer. Three things come to mind when fans think about Malinga; his curly hair, unorthodox bowling action, and unplayable yorker. The batters were always under pressure because of his unique bowling action. They were prone to making mistakes under pressure due to his incredible accuracy with the yorker. So, it's clear to understand how destructive he was. Lasith Malinga is arguably the greatest T20 bowler of all time and one of the top three finest bowlers in Sri Lankan cricket history. Malinga deserves praise for his contribution to cricket.

The former performance analyst of Sri Lanka Cricket, Sanath Jayasundara, has been handed a seven-year ban from all cricket after the International Cricket Council (ICC) found him guilty of breaching its Anti-Corruption Code. Following a full hearing and presentation of written and oral argument, the ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal found Jayasundara guilty of offering a bribe or other reward to the Sri Lankan sports minister to contrive in any way or otherwise influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of an international match, the global governing body of cricket said Monday. He was also found obstructing or delaying an Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) investigation into possible corrupt conduct under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. ICC General Manager (Integrity Unit) Alex Marshall, said: "Jayasundara's attempt to bribe a minister is a grave transgression while the efforts to cover up his tracks and the lack of remorse are hugely disappointing." "We won't tolerate corrupt conduct in our sport, and my team will be relentless in preventing such behaviour. This ban should serve as a deterrent for anyone who may be tempted along the wrong path." The ban is backdated to May 11, 2019, when Jayasundara was provisionally suspended.

Cricket's highest governing body, ICC has been honouring the 'Best Player of the Month' since 2021. In continuation of this, Bangladesh's Mr. dependable batsman Mushfiqur Rahim has been nominated for the Award for the month of May. Mushfiqur was awarded Man of the Series for his great performance against Sri Lanka in the last bilateral series. Thanks to this he has earned a place on the month's top players list. The other two nominees are Pakistan's Hasan Ali and Praveen Jayawickrama of Sri Lanka. This article discusses who is going to finally bag the 'ICC Player of the Month' Award for May.    The front-runner for the ICC's Player of the month for May award Nominees Mushfiqur Rahim, Hasan Ali, and Praveen Jayawickrama each played well for their respective countries in May. So they are worthy contenders for this award. Let's take a look at how they performed. Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh) Test: 2 | Runs: 148 | Ave: 74.00 | HS: 68* | 100s: 0 ODI: 3 | Runs: 237 | Ave: 79.00 | HS: 125 | 100s: 1 Source: ESPNCricinfo Mushfiqur Rahim was outstanding in the first two matches of the Sri Lanka series, and he was instrumental in Bangladesh's 2-1 ODI series victory. Thanks to his prudent batting, Bangladesh won the bilateral ODI series against Sri Lanka for the first time with a game in hand. Mushfiqur shared a 109-run partnership with veteran Mahmudullah Riyad after the Tigers lost four wickets for 99 runs in the first match of the series. As a result, Bangladesh were able to put up a challenging 256-run on board to defend. The hosts eventually won the match by 33 runs. Mushfiqur turned even more destructive in the second match. He batted aggressively for 125 runs, helping Bangladesh in putting up a fighting score. Bangladesh secured the series victory by winning the rain-affected match by 103 runs (D/L method). He also played well in the Test series against the Lankans. That's why the best middle-order batsman of Bangladesh, Mushfiqur Rahim is the favourite to win the best player of the May award. Read Three defeats in a row: Mohammedan’s struggle continues Praveen Jayawickrama (Sri Lanka) Test: 1 | Wkts: 11 | Ave: 16.18 | BBI: 6/92 | 5W: 2 Source: ESPNCricinfo Sri Lanka's Praveen Jayawickrama guided his country to a 1-0 series win grabbing 11 wickets in the second and final Test against Bangladesh. Bangladesh's batters had failed to deal with his spinning bowling. Bangladesh went down by a massive margin of 209 runs in the series-deciding match. This rising Lankan spinner is one of the leading contenders for May's ICC best player award of the month.    Hasan Ali (Pakistan) Test: 2 | Wkts: 14 | Ave: 8.92 | BBI: 5/27 | 5W: 2 Source: ESPNCricinfo Pace bowling all-rounder, Hasan Ali was instrumental in Pakistan's 2-0 Test series victory over Zimbabwe. Hasan Ali has been in excellent form since returning from injury. He has taken 14 wickets in two encounters against Zimbabwe. The host batters were unable to do well in both Tests because of his precise bowling. Zimbabwe lost to Pakistan by an innings and 118 runs in the first Test and by an innings and 148 runs in the second Test. So it will not be a surprise if Hasan Ali is named the best player for May. Read International Fixtures Which Could Help Bangladesh's T20 World Cup Preparation  Verdict Mushfiqur Rahim is the leading contender for the ICC’s Player of the Month for May award. Bangladesh won the first two matches and the bilateral ODI series against Sri Lanka thanks to Mushfiqur Rahim's outstanding performance. On the other hand, Pakistan's Hasan Ali played a key role in winning the Test series against Zimbabwe and Praveen Jayawickrama played well for the Lankans against Bangladesh. While earning a name on the top list is a great honour, we would expect the ICC to choose the best athlete for the award.

The third match of the ODI series between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will take place On Friday (28 May). The Sher-e-Bangla stadium will host the final match. The first two matches were also held at the same venue, and we found that the pitches were beneficial to both batters and bowlers. The curator is expected to use the same pitch for the final match. Bangladeshi players will have to put up a strong performance to whitewash the Lankans despite the fact that Bangladesh are a strong opponent in their own backyard. This article discusses the BAN vs SL 3rd ODI match preview.  Bangladesh’s Team News Veteran middle-order batsman Mushfiqur Rahim was instrumental in Bangladesh's victories in the first two matches. Bangladesh were able to put up a challenging score in the opening two matches because of his two outstanding efforts. In addition, hard-hitting batsman MahmudullahRiyad delivered two solid knocks. So, Bangladesh will rely heavily on them in the last encounter.  Read: Copa America 2021: Things you need to know  On the other hand, off-spinner MehidyHasanMiraj and left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman are having a good series. MehidyMiraj is in the finest form of his life right now. He has climbed to second position in the ICC ODI bowling rankings for the first time. The Bangladesh team management will have faith in him in the third match as well. Taskin Ahmed and Mohammad Mithun may replace injured Mohammad Saifuddin and Mosaddek Hossain in the match on Friday. The Bangladesh team would hope that the out-of-form cricketers will come out firing in the final match and help Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka for the first time. It would not be difficult for Bangladesh to overcome Sri Lanka if they can keep their discipline in the third match.  Three key players for Bangladesh Tamim Iqbal: ODIs: 215 | Runs: 7,517 | HS: 158 | SR: 78.36 | Ave: 36.84 Mushfiqur Rahim: ODIs: 226 | Runs: 6,553 | HS: 144 | SR: 79.22 | Ave: 37.23 MehidyHasanMiraz: ODIs: 49 | Wkts: 54 | BBI: 4/25 | Econ: 4.42 | Ave: 33.79 Bangladesh’s Predicted XI Tamim Iqbal (Captain), Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (WK), MahmudullahRiyad, Mosaddek Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, MehidyHasanMiraz, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, and Shoriful Islam Sri Lanka’s Team News Sri Lanka's attacking mindset have so far failed to provide a positive outcome in this series. In the first two ODIs, Bangladeshi bowlers pushed hard in the middle of the innings and achieved the results they expected. Sri Lanka may be able to play with a lot of freedom in the series finale because they have already lost the series. As a result, Sri Lanka have a chance to shock Bangladesh on Friday. We may expect some youngsters to make their international/ODI debuts for the Lankan team in the third match.  Read: Tamim, Shakib and Mustafizur Reach Unique Milestones in the first ODI against Sri Lanka  Three key players for Sri Lanka KusalPerera: ODIs: 103 | Runs: 2,869 | HS: 135 | SR: 92.07 | Ave: 30.84 KusalMendis: ODIs: 78 | Runs: 2,206 | HS: 119 | SR: 84.29 | Ave: 30.21 WaninduHasaranga: ODIs: 20 | Wkts: 19 | BBI: 3/15 | Econ: 5.10| Ave: 39.52 | Runs: 400 | HS: 80* | SR: 117.99 | Ave: 28.57  Sri Lanka’s predicted XI KusalPerera (Captain & WK), DanushkaGunathilaka, NiroshanDickwella, KusalMendis, DasunShanaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, WaninduHasaranga, Ashen Bandara, IsuruUdana, Lakshan Sandakan, and DushmanthaChameera  Pitch and Weather Report The pacers should receive some help throughout the game, and the spinners will be handy later in the innings. Dhaka will likely have overcast skies On Friday and there may be little rain as the game continues. Overall, it is expected to be a hot and humid day. Read: Five reasons behind Bangladesh's win over Sri Lanka in the first ODI Bottom Line The Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 3rd ODI match will be much more competitive, as Sri Lanka will be eying to snatch a victory form the series. Therefore the Sri Lankan team will give it their all to defeat Bangladesh. On the other hand, this will be a fantastic opportunity for Bangladesh to whitewash Sri Lanka in any format of the game for the first time. But, the exact roles that Bangladeshi players will play over Sri Lanka will be vital. Bangladesh have the potential to sweep Sri Lanka if they can keep their focus throughout the contest. Overall, cricket fans are anticipating an exciting match to be held between two Asian teams.

The three-match ODI series between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka got off to an excellent start. Bangladesh have taken a 1-0 lead in the series after defeating Sri Lanka by 33 runs in the series opener. Bangladesh will secure the series if they win the next match. Bangladesh will play with confidence in the second encounter if they can maintain the fighting attitude that they displayed in the first match. The good news is that both the senior and young players contributed significantly to this victory. This article discusses five reasons behind Bangladesh's win over Sri Lanka in the first ODI.  Five factors contributed to Bangladesh's victory over Sri Lanka  Effective partnership between Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah Veteran cricketers Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad took charge of Bangladesh's innings after losing four wickets for 99 runs in 23 overs. They had formed a 109-run fifth-wicket partnership to cross the 200-run barrier. Mr. dependable Mushfiqur Rahim was a far more aggressive of the two, scoring 84 runs off 87 balls. On the other hand, Mahmudullah Riyad scored 54 runs. Bangladesh's score might not have surpassed 250 if it hadn't been for this pair. So, Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah's solid partnership was one of the match's turning points.  Read: What Bangladesh's World Cup 2023 squad would look like?  Miraj's superb spin bowling Bangladeshi bowler Mehidy Hasan Miraj is presently ranked fifth in the ICC ODI bowling rankings. Miraj is proving to be a highly efficient bowler with his excellent performance in the first match. Captain Tamim Iqbal introduced off-spinner Mehidy Miraz at the start of the innings with the hope of an early breakthrough. Miraj performed an excellent job of repaying the captain's trust in him. By sending opener Gunathilaka back to the pavilion in the fifth over Miraz got Bangladesh's first wicket. He then picked up three more wickets in the midst of the innings to completely dismantle Sri Lanka's middle order. Mehidy, who took the most four wickets for Bangladesh, was essential in the team's victory in the first match.  Saifuddin's timely breakthrough Wanindu Hasaranga shocked the Bangladesh camp with some blazing striking at one point during the match. Hasaranga was dreaming of taking Sri Lanka home by hitting sixes against Bangladeshi bowlers. Saifuddin brought relief to Bangladesh's campaign by dismissing this fearsome lower middle-order batsman at the end of the 44th over. Sri Lanka's score at the time was 211 while chasing 256 runs. Hasaranga made 74 runs off 60 balls before being dismissed. After breaking the eighth wicket partnership, the bowlers took the remaining two wickets within 12 runs to ensure the victory of Bangladesh.  Read: Why SL series is important for Bangladesh's 2023 World Cup Berth? Tamim Iqbal's captaincy Tamim Iqbal is gaining experience as the Bangladesh team's captain. We can get a sense of the kind of captain he'll be in the future. Apart from scoring 52 runs as a batsman, Tamim changed the bowlers successfully while fielding. By introducing off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz at the start, he managed to get a Lankan wicket. Bangladesh's quickest bowler Taskin Ahmed teamed up with Mehidy Miraz to bowl at the beginning of the innings. Then Tamim brought Mustafiz, Shakib, and Saifuddin into the attack. Although Taskin was a bit expensive, the rest of the bowlers did well. Tamim's strategy of using three quick bowlers at the end of the innings was effective. All in all, Tamim did well in the first match of the series as captain.  Experience The Sri Lankan ODI side is inexperienced, and it will take some time for them to gel as a team. Therefore, Bangladesh seized the opportunity in the first encounter. Sri Lanka lost multiple wickets in the midst of the innings despite chasing a respectable total in the first match. On the other hand, Sri Lanka was unable to put more pressure on Bangladesh despite removing four batsmen within 100 runs. Sri Lanka required a couple of decent partnerships from the top order in order to win the opening match, which they failed to deliver. On the contrary, Bangladesh counter-attacked the Lankan bowlers after losing a few early wickets and took control of the innings. The Sri Lankan team will be able to rectify mistakes as their experience grows.  Read: Bangladesh and Sri Lanka all set to face off in an ODI Series  Bottom Line Five reasons behind Bangladesh's win over Sri Lanka in the first ODI must be maintained in the second match. Because it is essential for the players to deliver consistent performances in order to win the series. Besides, Bangladesh players must try to rectify the mistakes that were made so that they do not repeat again in the next encounter. Bangladesh will win the series by defeating Sri Lanka in the second match if they can perform at their best.