Sri Lanka opts to bat against Bangladesh in series decider at Pallekele
July 8, 2025 02:03 pm
Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka has won the toss and elected to bat first against Bangladesh in the final One Day International of the three-match series at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.
Sri Lanka has named an unchanged lineup for the series decider while Taskin Ahmed has replaced Hasan Mahmud in the Bangladesh playing XI.
Meanwhile, at the toss, skipper Charith Asalanka said he is looking at a total of 280 to put pressure on the visitor and secure the all-important win to seal the series.
The match is crucial for both teams, with Bangladesh seeking their first-ever ODI series victory in Sri Lanka. The series is currently leveled at 1-1.
Sri Lanka claimed a comprehensive 77-run victory in the series opener in Colombo but will be looking to avoid a repeat of their previous match, where they failed to chase down a target of 249 runs despite being close.
Sri Lanka however hold a massive advantage over Bangladesh in terms of head-to-head stats in ODIs.
The Lankans have secured 44 wins while Bangladesh registered only 13 victories (NR: 2).
Sri Lanka have won 21 of their 24 concluded home ODIs against Bangladesh.
Bangladesh won 2-1 when these two sides last met in an ODI series, in Bangladesh last year.
