Sports

Bangladesh bat first after losing toss

Sri Lanka captain Upul Tharanga decided to bowl in the first ODI against Bangladesh in Dambulla. Bangladesh`s captain Mashrafe Mortaza said they would have batted first, so the toss result did not make much of a difference.

Bangladesh handed an ODI debut to Mehedi Hasan, who had impressed in his seven Tests, while Mushfiqur Rahim slotted back in as wicketkeeper in place of Nurul Hasan, who had played Bangladesh`s previous ODI in December.

Sri Lanka were without Niroshan Dickwella, who was suspended, and his place went to Dinesh Chandimal. They also included Milinda Siriwardana, Thisara Perera and Lakshan Sandakan in their XI.

Sri Lanka have lost the last three ODIs, while this fixture is Bangladesh`s first in Dambulla since 2010, when they were crushed in all three Asia Cup games.

Sri Lanka: 1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Upul Tharanga (capt), 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 5 Asela Gunaratne, 6 Milinda Siriwardana, 7 Sachith Pathirana, 9 Thisara Perera, 9 Suranga Lakmal, 10 Lahiru Kumara, 11 Lakshan Sandakan

Bangladesh: 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Sabbir Rahman, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Mosaddek Hossain, 8 Mehedi Hasan, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur Rahman

Source: ESPNcricinfo