ICC CWC 2019 Match 16: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka match called off at Bristol

In head to head comparisons last year, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have won two matches each in 4 encounters.

6:38 PM

Sri Lanka moved to 5th position

After sharing one point each in two matches, Sri Lanka have moved to 5th position of ICC team standings. CHECK FULL POINTS TABLE HERE

6:34 PM

Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka match abandoned

The match has been abandoned. Both teams share one point each. Sri Lanka now have 4 points from 4 games, Bangladesh have 3 from 4 games.

6:22 PM

ICC World Cup 2019: Four players who may replace injured Shikhar Dhawan

India cricket team had a successful start to their ICC cricket World Cup 2019 campaign with comprehensive wins in the first two matches, but the Virat Kohli-led side has been hit by a major blow at the top of the batting order as opener and swashbuckling southpaw Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of the tournament for three weeks after sustaining injury on his left thumb while playing a bouncer by Australian pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not confirmed the news yet.

In case it is found that the left-hander is not fit to play the remaining matches, India may have to explore other options and for that, the following four players are likely to get the call up. Read full Story here

6:03 PM

NO GOOD NEWS from Bristol yet

According to official broadcaster visuals, the Super Soper is on but there is no chance of play as of now as rain doesn't relent

6:01 PM

5:43 PM

Cut off time for 20-over game is 20:45 PM (IST)

5:40 PM

WATCH: Courtney Walsh on Bangladesh Cricket Team

4:56 PM

Raining again at Bristol as the news comes in that Marcus Stoinis is ruled out of Australia vs Pakistan clash tomorrow

4:30 PM

The next inspection will be on 12:15 local time or 4:45 pm IST

There is a lot of water on the covers and groundsmen are working hard to get rid of it. The next inspection will be on 12:15 local time or 4:45 pm IST

4:01 PM

A while ago, players arrived at bristol Stadium, but no news on when the play will start.

3:54 PM

BIG NEWS: There is no drizzle at the moment at Bristol, Umpire out for Inspection, say Reports

3:25 PM

3:00 PM IST inspection postponed as rain returns again at Bristol

The scheduled inspection has been postponed as the rain has unfortunately returned

2:45 PM

Covers are coming off at Bristol, Inspection at 10:30 am (local), 3:00 pm IST

2:24 PM

Toss delayed due to rain

According to TV visuals, the pitch and square is still under cover

2:09 PM

It is pouring heavily at Bristol

Anyway, the live pictures coming in from the ground aren't encouraging with the rain still pretty steady and a hover-cover being used to cover up the pitch. So go, have an extended meal, and as you do so, DO NOT look at the forecast.

2:06 PM

Here is the playing 11 prediction of both teams

Sri Lanka playing 11: Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Jeevan Mendis, Isuru Udana, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga

Bangladesh playing 11: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Mashrafe Mortaza, Mehidy Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman.

1:51 PM

Sri Lanka batting coach backs Mendis and Mathews to come good

Sri Lanka batting coach Jon Lewis believes it is just a matter of time before Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews hit form at the World Cup.

Experienced all-rounder Mathews has yet to open his account after ducks against both New Zealand and Afghanistan while Mendis has scarcely been more productive with a nought in the defeat by the Black Caps followed by just two runs in a tense win over the Afghans.

Sri Lanka, whose last match against Pakistan was abandoned without a ball bowled, face Bangladesh in Bristol on Tuesday.

"We have some experienced players in the middle with Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews," Lewis said on Monday.

"They obviously haven't quite fired yet but Afghanistan let us get away with that. I'm confident players of that quality will definitely come to the party soon.

"With Angelo you have to have faith in a guy who has done as much as he has over a long period of time and he tells me he is in a good place and good headspace."

"I have no reason to doubt that the runs will come from him," added Lewis of the 32-year-old all-rounder, who has scored two one-day international hundreds and 37 fifties.

Mendis has just one ODI hundred from 65 matches, although it did come against Bangladesh in Dambulla two years ago.

This is in marked contrast to the 24-year-old's Test record of six centuries in 38 matches.

Lewis, asked to explain the difference, said: "Mendis could do with a little bit of a confidence boost. I think for him it's a case of just getting through those first 20 balls.

"In the build-up to the World Cup, he played well against Scotland and the two warm-up games he looked in good form even though he only got 20s and 30s, which was a downer.

1:36 PM

Winning matters more to Mashrafe than respect

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza can live without the respect of his opponents so long as his side are winning matches at the World Cup.

The Tigers launched their campaign with an impressive win over South Africa but afterwards Mashrafe was annoyed by suggestions the result constituted an upset.

"Do you think this was a surprise?," he asked pointedly. "If we can deliver our best we knew what we could do. I'm sure some people don't think well of our cricket. We are concentrating on our game and letting other people talk."

1:20 PM

Here are the squads of both the teams

Bangladesh world cup squad: Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Abu Jayed, Liton Das, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Mithun, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mosaddek Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Tamim Iqbal.
 
Sri Lanka world cup squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Dhananjaya de Silva, Nuwan Pradeep (not available for today's match), Avishka Fernando, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Jeevan Mendis, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Lahiru Thirimanne, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay.

1:16 PM

Preview

After two consecutive defeats, Bangladesh will look to return to winning ways when they face a depleted Sri Lanka in their fourth World Cup game at the Bristol Cricket Ground.
 
The Bangla Tigers, after making a perfect start to their World Cup campaign against South Africa, faced back to back defeats against New Zealand and England and are low on confidence.
 
Apart from the first game against the Proteas, the Bangladesh batting has not been consistent and it has only been all-rounder Shakib al Hasan who has been able to perform. None of their other batters have been able to maintain consistency and have failed to cope with the scoreboard pressure. Their openers, Soumya Sarkar and Tamim Iqbal, have not been able to provide the starts that the Bangladeshi fans would be hoping for, something which Mashrafe Mortaza will desperately want.
 
However, Bangladesh's major concern is their bowling which was taken for plenty by tournament favourites England in their previous encounter. They conceded a total in excess of 380 and were given a hard time on the field.
 
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka will be looking for two crucial points after their last encounter was washed out against Pakistan. The Dimuth Karunaratne-led side started their tournament campaign on the worst possible note, conceding a 10-wicket defeat to New Zealand. However, it was their bowling which rescued them against Afghanistan in a rain-curtailed match which they just managed to win.
 
Batting has been one of the issues which Sri Lanka has been coping with in the initial phase of the ongoing tournament. They have suffered batting collapses and have not been able to play their full quota of 50 overs in all the completed matches.
 
In bowling, they will miss the services of Nuwan Pradeep who won them the match against Afghanistan. However, with the likes of Lasith Malinga, their bowling still finds an edge over Bangladesh.

ICC World Cup 2019 Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka