Match News and Current Form
Sri Lanka are a lowly seventh in the ICC’s T20I rankings following their early exit from the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup at the hands of Bangladesh after a Group D clash that saw Mustafizur Rahman and Mahmudullah lead the Tigers to a narrow two-wicket victory in Dallas.
Since then there have been mixed results: a 2-1 series win at home over the West Indies came either side of 3-0 losses to India and a 3-2 loss away in New Zealand. They have made a slew of personnel changes as they look to find some winning form against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe ahead of one of the most important T20 World Cups of their history, for they will be co-hosting with India in 2026 and it will be crucial in inspiring the next generation.
Bangladesh has become an intense rival of Sri Lanka’s over the last eight years now that the teams are on fairly level terms and this is always a matchup that Bangladesh fancy their chances of winning no matter what kind of form either team is in.
But their T20I journey since advancing further than Sri Lanka at the last World Cup has epitomised the inconsistency that is synonymous with Bangladeshi cricket: they dominated West Indies 3-0 at Arnos Vale, albeit a ground that absolutely suits their style of cricket, whilst losing 3-0 away to both India and Pakistan. There was also the rock bottom of losing a T20I series to associate member UAE in Sharjah this May, which forms part of their five-game losing streak.
Head-to-Head History
Bangladesh have never beaten Sri Lanka in a bilateral T20I series, losing four times and drawing once. Overall, the record stands at 11-6 in Sri Lanka’s favour, including a 17-run during the only meeting at this venue (2013).
Hot Stats and Streaks
Teams batting first have a 15-11 record in Pallekele (including Super Over victories)
The nine first innings scores of 177+ runs were defended, whilst ten of the 16 of under 177 were chased
Charith Asalanka has just 40 runs in four Pallekele T20Is including two ducks
Liton Das top scored for Bangladesh in just one of his last 12 T20Is
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Wanindu Hasaranga hasn’t been the prolific wicket-taker he’d hope to be in Pallekele, posting best figures of just 2-21. He has a total of ten wickets from his nine matches there. Parvez Hossain Emon shapes up as a threat at the top of the order for the visitors, particularly as their only player to record more than one half-century in 2025.
Sri Lanka have recalled Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage and Dasun Shanaka to a squad that is missing Asitha Fernando, Chamindu Wickramasinghe and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (all omitted). Bangladesh dropped former captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and offered places to Mohammad Saifuddin and Shoriful Islam, whilst Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman are back from injury.
Betting Analysis
It’s hard to fathom Bangladesh winning a single game in this series based on the way they’ve been going in T20Is year, so a 3-0 series win to the home side looks a good play.