Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Prediction: Former captain Shanto key to visitors’ chances

Bangladesh have had a poor run of things recently and will be hoping to turn it around in this first ODI between them and Sri Lanka.

The hosts took the recent two-game Test series between the pair 1-0 and will be aiming to build on an impressive pair of wins over Australia earlier in the year.

Cricket Odds

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Sri Lanka should field a largely settled side, although the battle between Nishan Madushka and Avishka Fernando to open the batting is one area of uncertainty.

Bangladesh are in much-changed territory, this will be the first game for new ODI captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and they will be without Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah, who have both retired. Najmul Hossain Shanto, who gave up the captaincy, is likely to move into the middle order, while Mohammad Naim and Litton Das look likely to move up the order.

Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Odds

Sri Lanka are the favourites for this clash, currently priced up at 1/3, while Bangladesh are available at 9/4.

Pathum Nissanka is 10/3 favourite to be Sri Lanka’s top batter, while Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy and Liton Das are all joint 7/2 to lead the way in the same department for Bangladesh.

Najmul Hossain Shanto top Bangladesh batter @ 7/2

Bangladesh have lost six of their last seven games and have come up short in eight of their previous 11 ODIs since the start of 2024.

Najmul Hossain Shanto is no longer captain as part of a big shake up for the sport and the freedom of not leading this team could be crucial to his batting.

Undoubtedly one of the most talented players in this team, he made two hundreds in the first Test against Sri Lanka, adding to his rock-solid record against these opponents.

Shanto has a century and two fifties against Sri Lanka in ODI cricket, averaging 85.50. Freed from the burden of captaincy, he looks a solid pick to be his team’s top scorer.

Maheesh Theekshana top Sri Lanka bowler @ 4/1

Maheesh Theekshana was previously thought of as a pure T20 player, but Sri Lanka have started to select him more and more for their 50-over side.

He took seven wickets in two games against New Zealand recently and was last seen chipping in with 11 wickets for Rajasthan Royal in this year’s IPL.

On a Khettarama surface that looks likely to help spinners, the 25-year-old could star.