Bangladesh to tour Sri Lanka for two match Test series in April

Sri Lanka Cricket, on Friday, announced that they will host Bangladesh for a two-match Test series next month. The series will be a part of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle. Neither Bangladesh nor Sri Lanka are in contention to make it to the final of the WTC but will be looking to use the series to improve their position in the points table.

Bangladesh are yet to open their account in the WTC and are reeling at the bottom of the points table while Sri Lanka are just above them with 80 points. Both the Tests will be played at the Pallekele International Stadium. Bangladesh will arrive in Sri Lanka on April 12. The first Test is scheduled to be played from April 21 while the second game is scheduled to start on April 29.

Bangladesh were initially scheduled to play three Tests in July 2020 before the series was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The series was later rescheduled to be played in October-November, but was once again postponed due to the COVID19 pandemic. On the second occasion, the series was postponed after the two cricket boards didn’t agree on a stipulated 14-day quarantine as per health safety protocol.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh will be without the services of their star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan for the series. Shakib will miss the series in Sri Lanka because of the Indian Premier League. He has already received the NOC to play in the competition. Along with him, Mustafizur Rahman is also a part of IPL 2021 but his fate is still not decided.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh’s record since resumption:

International cricket resumed in Sri Lanka earlier this year when England visited them for a two-match Test series. Prior to that, the Islanders had visited South Africa for two Tests. They lost all the four Tests against England and South Africa. At present, they are in West Indies for a full-fledged series. The Islanders have already lost the T20I and ODI series and will be looking to put up a better performance in the upcoming Test series.

Bangladesh, on the other hand, resumed action in the game with the home series against West Indies. They whitewashed the depleted West Indies team in the three-match ODI series before losing both the Tests. The Tigers are currently in New Zealand for three ODIs and as many T20Is.