Beleaguered Bangladesh eye Champions Trophy spot
Both teams are at risk of not qualifying for the tournament if the results in the next few games don't go their way.
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have grown into fierce cricketing rivals on and off the field over the last few years but the clash featuring the two Asian teams in the ongoing ICC World Cup at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Monday will bear little or no importance in the context of the tournament.
Both of them have horribly failed in the World Cup which has led to massive outcry back home.
Mohan de Silva, the secretary of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has already resigned amid widespread criticism. Sri Lanka's Sports Minister implied that the board might have to resign or face drastic consequences.
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On the other hand, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is planning a coaching overhaul after their incredibly bad performance in the tournament. They have to appoint a new captain as well, as Shakib Al Hasan is likely to step down as ODI skipper.
But right now, their primary target will be to seal a spot in the 2025 Champions Trophy which requires a top-eight finish. Both teams are at risk of not qualifying for the tournament if the results in the next few games don't go their way.
They will lock horns at a ground that has probably the best batting conditions in the World Cup. Sri Lanka were hammered for 428 by the Proteas here and the Arun Jaitley Stadium is the second-fastest scoring ground in the tournament.
It will be a great opportunity for two struggling batting line-ups to return to form. Bangladesh are by far the worst batting side in terms of runs per over in the competition while Sri Lanka were bowled out for a paltry 55 against India in the last match.
But their preparations have been heavily disrupted by the infamous Delhi smog, with the Air Quality Index rising to a hazardous 640. Six years ago, several players vomited and had breathing difficulties during an India-Sri Lanka Test match here. Bangladesh players wore masks during their training sessions ahead of a T20I against India in Delhi four years ago.
Sri Lanka have an extremely talented batting line-up and the likes of Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama have shown glimpses of their abilities in the tournament. Nissanka has four fifty-plus scores in the World Cup while Samarawickrama has three. Mendis started off the tournament with a bang but fizzled out a touch as it progressed.
On the contrary, Mahmudullah has been the only shining light for Bangladesh as far as their batting is concerned. He has scored 274 runs at an average of 68.5 and a strike-rate of 89.25 but still continues to bat way down the order as per the team management's decision.
They had one of the best bowling attacks in the 2019-2023 cycle coming into the tournament but failed to live up to the expectations. They have not been able to create enough threat up front, allowing the opponents to run away with the game too early.
Left-arm swing bowler Dilshan Madushanka has been one of the finds of the tournament. He has been the World Cup's second-highest wicket-taker right now with 18 scalps and he might just become Mendis' most potent weapon given Bangladesh's well-known struggle against the moving ball.
Sri Lanka will feel confident ahead of the match as they have won six out of the last eight ODIs against Bangladesh. But the Tigers will take a lot of heart from their solitary international appearance in Delhi where they stunned India in 2019 to notch up a famous T20I victory.
