Agony for hosts; ecstasy for visitors
The national team’s fortunes in white-ball cricket since Charith Asalanka’s captaincy, alongside the new team management led by Head Coach Sanath Jayasuriya, have seen fluctuating results across the two formats.
It is fair to say that they have dominated the 50-over format over the past 12 months. In particular, they have been formidable on home soil, registering ODI series victories against India, the West Indies, New Zealand, and Australia. Leading into the Bangladesh ODI series, Sri Lanka had won 11 out of the 14 ODIs played under Asalanka’s leadership.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh opted for a relatively young squad as they looked to move forward following the retirements of a cluster of senior players such as Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Mahmudullah Riyad. With Mehidy Hasan Miraz as new captain, this series was considered an ideal opportunity for Sri Lanka to continue their momentum and move closer to their goal of being among the top three ranked teams in One Day Internationals.
Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis are devastating when in form, but when they are not, it's the beginning of a disaster to follow
A closer analysis of Sri Lanka’s batting performances throughout the series reveals a clear lack of strike rotation—particularly evident in the first two ODIs, where the team used up 159 dot balls in the first match and 174 in the second. This high dot-ball percentage resulted in under-par totals of 245 and 232 respectively, with the batsmen often on the back foot.
Another area of concern was the over-reliance on Kusal Mendis and skipper Asalanka. The duo scored over 50 percent of the team’s total runs in the series. Asalanka, regarded as the ideal man for crisis, once again stood tall, scoring 170 runs at an average of 56.66. Since taking over the captaincy, he has accumulated 626 runs at an average of 44.71 in 17 matches.
Kusal Mendis too has flourished under Asalanka’s captaincy. The right-handed batsman has scored 795 runs in 16 matches at an average of 56.78, including three centuries. On the other hand, Janith Liyanage—crowned Emerging Player at this year’s Sri Lanka Cricket Awards—showed his potential, notably in the second ODI where he compiled a valiant 76 off 85 balls in a losing cause. However, the rest of the batting lineup—including openers Pathum Nissanka, Nishan Madushka, and Kamindu Mendis—failed to make an impact, raising concerns ahead of future series.
Fast bowlers are often the unsung heroes in sub-continental conditions, but it is fair to say that Asitha Fernando and Dushmantha Chameera played pivotal roles in keeping the Bangladeshi batsmen at bay. Asitha, usually seen as a Test bowler, has evolved into a reliable all-format player. His accuracy and discipline with the ball were key in applying constant pressure on the opposition. Chameera, returning to the white-ball setup after a long hiatus, took some time to regain confidence. However, his resurgence proved to be a major boost for Sri Lanka, particularly in the series decider where he took three crucial wickets for 51 runs, helping the hosts clinch the series 2-1.
Alongside Wanindu Hasaranga’s consistent performances with the ball, it is evident that the bowlers often had rescued Sri Lanka from tricky situations. Despite another series win on home soil, there are clear areas for improvement as the team builds towards the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Following an intriguing ODI series, attention turned to the shortest format of the game. This T20 series was crucial for both sides as they prepare for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, to be held in India and Sri Lanka next year. Sri Lanka entered the series buoyant after their ODI success, but T20 has been a format in which they’ve struggled, having won only three of their last 11 matches over the past year. Bangladesh too, had their struggles—most notably a 2-1 away series defeat to the UAE—but Litton Das and his youthful side seemed intent on proving a point.
Cricketer-turned-commentator Farveez Maharoof expressed confidence that Sri Lanka would whitewash the visitors after their dominant performance in the first T20I in Pallekele, where they won convincingly by 7 wickets. However, during a post-series analysis show, Maharoof voiced his disappointment on behalf of the passionate cricket-loving public, who had turned up in large numbers for the remaining matches in Dambulla and Colombo, only to witness two unexpected defeats. He also noted that Sri Lanka’s T20 side is still struggling to find stability in the batting lineup—an alarming sign with just six months left before the T20 World Cup.
Two consecutive batting collapses highlighted the team’s weaknesses, and a lacklustre fielding effort compounded their woes. Captain Asalanka admitted that the side is yet to find a consistent performer at number four. Avishka Fernando and Dinesh Chandimal were both tried in the role but failed. Asalanka candidly admitted that his team had been outplayed and acknowledged that the team management would need to conduct some serious soul-searching going forward.
For Bangladesh, this was a much-needed series victory. After suffering frequent batting collapses in the ODI series, the win came as a timely confidence boost. It was a collective performance in all three departments that dismantled Sri Lanka, and for the hosts, the result will undoubtedly be a bitter pill to swallow.