The 38th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 will see Bangladesh take on Sri Lanka at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Monday. Both teams have endured a miserable tournament so far but still have pride to play for.
Bangladesh were the first side to be eliminated following six straight losses after their opening win over Afghanistan. Their batting and bowling have misfired in unison. Sri Lanka meanwhile have two victories to show for in seven games. Their campaign has been marred by chaotic selections and humiliating collapses.
Nonetheless, this matchup provides both teams an opportunity to salvage some respectability. Doing well here could help secure qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka know each other inside out having played frequently over the years. Sri Lanka dominates the head-to-head but Bangladesh will back themselves to be competitive.
The Tigers showed glimpses of promise against India and New Zealand. Sri Lanka will be smarting from their demolition by India last time out.
While neither team can make the knockouts now, this clash promises to be hard-fought. Both sets of players will be fighting for national and personal pride. Hopefully an entertaining contest awaits between the struggling Asian nations.
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Bangladesh Overview
Bangladesh would have entered this World Cup full of optimism after a string of good results leading up to the tournament. But their campaign unravelled quickly following the opening loss against England.
An inability to post big totals has crippled Bangladesh. Senior batsmen like Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das have failed to convert starts. Young opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim has shown flashes of brilliance but lacks consistency.
In bowling, the absence of frontline seamer Taskin Ahmed was felt initially. Spinners Shakib and Mehidy Hasan have been economical but lack penetration on batting pitches. Mustafizur Rahman has been erratic.
Fielding has been sloppy, catches spilled at crucial moments. With their semi-final hopes dashed, Bangladesh will play for pride and Champions Trophy qualification.
The likes of Litton Das, Shakib, Mushfiqur and Mustafizur must step up to sign off the tournament on a high. Bangladesh have the personnel to challenge any team on their day. But piecing together a complete performance has eluded them this World Cup.
Sri Lanka Overview
Sri Lanka would have fancied their chances coming into this World Cup with a talented young squad. But baffling selection calls and reckless batting have led to a dismal campaign for the 1996 champions.
Of grave concern has been Sri Lanka’s propensity to suffer batting collapses. The 55 all out against India being the nadir. Such totals put bowlers under massive pressure. The continual chopping and changing of the playing XI has caused instability.
However, Pathum Nissanka has been a rare batting bright spot with two fighting half-centuries. Seamer Dilshan Madushanka has stepped up excellently in the bowling department. Spinner Maheesh Theekshana has also been effective.
But too often, Sri Lanka’s reliable names like Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Perara have failed to deliver their best. Fielding has been sloppy too.
With their World Cup dreams in tatters, Sri Lanka will now play for pride too. The likes of veterans Angelo Mathews and Kusal Perara owe it to finish on a high. Sri Lanka must show they still have quality in their ranks.
Bangladesh vs. Sri Lanka Starting XI
Expected Starting XI for Bangladesh:
- Litton Das
- Tanzid Hasan
- Najmul Hossain Shanto
- Shakib Al Hasan (c)
- Mushfiqur Rahim (wk)
- Mahmudullah
- Towhid Hridoy
- Mehidy Hasan Miraz
- Taskin Ahmed
- Mustafizur Rahman
- Shoriful Islam
Expected Starting XI for Sri Lanka:
- Pathum Nissanka
- Dimuth Karunaratne
- Kusal Mendis ((c)/(wk)
- Sadeera Samarawickrama
- Charith Asalanka
- Angelo Mathews
- Dushan Hemantha
- Dushmantha Chameera
- Maheesh Theekshana
- Kasun Rajitha
- Dilshan Madushanka
Bangladesh will want an improved performance from senior players like Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim. For Sri Lanka, the return of batsman Angelo Mathews could provide solidity to the struggling middle-order. Spinner Dunith Wellalage may also come in to add more variety.
Seamers Taskin Ahmed and Dilshan Madushanka will be key with the new ball for both sides. Veterans Shakib Al Hasan and Maheesh Theekshana will also have crucial roles with spin. Both teams will likely retain most of their recent XIs and back experienced players to step up. Putting up or chasing 250+ totals could prove decisive.
See the confirmed starting lineups below an hour before the match starts.
Bangladesh vs. Sri Lanka Head-to-Head
Sri Lanka have historically dominated Bangladesh in ODI cricket. The two nations have met 51 times in the 50-over format with Sri Lanka winning 42 compared to Bangladesh’s 9 victories.
This one-sided trend has been evident in World Cups too. Sri Lanka have blanked Bangladesh 3-0 in their four World Cup meetings so far. They memorably bowled Bangladesh out for just 108 runs in the 2007 World Cup clash.
However, Bangladesh’s ODI performances have improved markedly over the last 5 years. They defeated Sri Lanka 2-1 in their last bilateral ODI series contested in 2019. Earlier in 2018, Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka 3-0 away from home.
But Sri Lanka still have the overall edge in matchups, especially global tournaments. Their recent form though has been shaky compared to the gradual improvement by Bangladesh.
Both teams will see this World Cup match as a perfect opportunity to buck the recent trend and secure a morale-boosting win. Sri Lanka have greater experience but Bangladesh should provide a stern test.
Weather & Pitch Report
The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi will host this important World Cup fixture between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The weather forecast is excellent for day-night cricket with clear skies and temperatures of around 31 degrees Celsius predicted.
Humidity levels will be moderate around 60% and no rain is expected throughout the day. The cold evening conditions will be ideal for bowling.
The Delhi pitch has garnered a reputation as a batting paradise in this tournament. The true bounce, even pace and small boundaries have enabled teams to post huge scores here.
In the four games at this ground so far, the average first innings total is a mammoth 318 runs. All matches have seen 300+ scores batted first with teams successfully chasing down 300+ targets thrice.
Spinners may derive some turn later on but fast bowlers have struggled with the wet ball. Dew in the evening favours the chase with batters able to play freely.
Considering the venue trends, the side batting first must post at least 280-300 to defend here. The toss winner should opt to bat first and set an imposing total. We could see another run feast with the bat dominating proceedings.
Bangladesh vs. Sri Lanka Prediction
This contest is hard to predict given both teams’ struggles in the tournament so far. But Sri Lanka’s superior head-to-head record and experience arguably make them slight favorites.
The Delhi pitch has been a batting paradise thus far. Sri Lanka’s talented batting lineup led by Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka will look to exploit this pitch to rack up a big total if they bat first.
Bangladesh’s senior batsmen like Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das have the skills to match Sri Lanka’s batters. But they must avoid any collapses that have plagued their World Cup.
In bowling, the guile of Shakib and Mehidy Hasan will be crucial against aggressive Sri Lankan batters. For Sri Lanka, mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana could bamboozle the Bangladeshis.
If Bangladesh’s stalwarts like Shakib and Mushfiqur play key innings, an upset could be on the cards. But Sri Lanka’s superior experience and confidence from the recent win over Afghanistan gives them an edge.
Expect a competitive, relatively high-scoring game with Sri Lanka’s batting depth helping them edge out Bangladesh this time. But it will likely be a close battle between the Asian foes.
BD vs. SL Betting Tip
With batting-friendly conditions, bet on the first innings total over 300 runs. Consider the safer over 290 runs line too. Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis and Litton Das are prime top batsman picks given the true pitch. Mushfiqur Rahim is a differential choice.
For top bowlers, Maheesh Theekshana’s mystery spin and Mustafizur Rahman’s cutters are good options. Sri Lanka’s superior head-to-head record makes them slight favorites. Consider betting on them at decent odds.
Conversely, Bangladesh’s underdog status means betting on them could reap high rewards if their batters fire. With dew expected, consider betting on the chasing team irrespective of who bats first.
Given the venue trends, betting on over 280+ match total runs and the chasing team looks advisable. For a bold punt, bet on Bangladesh posting a 300+ or 320+ first innings total if they bat first. Also consider betting on individual batsmen milestones like Kusal Mendis or Litton Das to score 50+ or 75+ runs.
With the batting-friendly conditions on offer, this contest promises good value for punters. There will be plenty of opportunities to profit on match totals and batsman milestones.
Bet on over 515.5 total runs at Parimatch at odds 1.85>>
If you want to check out our other Cricket World Cup match predictions, you can find them on our site. In the meantime, you can check out how to bet on the Cricket World Cup.
