NEW DELHI (AP) — Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field against Sri Lanka at the Cricket World Cup on Monday as both teams, out of semifinal consideration, vie for a place at the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
Bangladesh is ninth in the standings after six consecutive defeats since beating Afghanistan in its opening game. Coach Chanidka Hathurusinghe believes his team’s dismal performance is due to below-par batting.
While Bangladesh kept faith in its struggling batting lineup, it brought in fast bowler Tanzim Hasan in place of Mustafizur Rahman.
Sri Lanka’s big defeat to India in its last game meant it will remain seventh in the standings even if it beats Bangladesh.
The top seven teams at the World Cup and host Pakistan will qualify for the Champions Trophy in February.
Sri Lanka recalled Dahanjaye de Silva and Kusal Perera in the playing XI while it left out Dimuth Karunaratne and Dushan Hemantha, who both played in a massive 302-run loss to India in the last game.
Bangladesh players avoided the New Delhi smog before Monday’s game and only eight of them trained on Sunday. Most of the players went through training wearing masks and Hathurusinghe said he didn’t wanted his ″asthmatic″ players to get exposed to poor air quality.
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Lineups:
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (captain), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka.
Bangladesh: Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Towhid Hridoy, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan, Shoriful Islam.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
