As soon as I entered the Sylhet International Stadium, I heard the sound of the microphone. Which brings an announcement, ‘Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 1st T20 match tickets are on sale. Those who want to watch the game, collect tickets from the counter. This incident happened yesterday morning. Whether for miking or not, two small lines were seen in front of the stadium ticket counter around noon. A Bangladesh Test team cricketer was quite surprised to see the scene while leaving the field. His house is again in Sylhet. That’s why he said a little upset, ‘People don’t seem to know that tomorrow is the game. If you knew, it would have been crowded by now. The people of Sylhet are crazy about sports.
It may be right, but the audience has the hunger to watch international T20 to see consecutive T20 in BPL? Whether it is the game between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the history of rivalry between the two teams in recent times is known to the entire cricket world. Even so, the question arises, does the bilateral series of the two teams have the same atmosphere, which was in the World Cup match in Delhi? Shakib Al Hasan added to the heat of the match by timing out Angelo Mathews. Even if there is half of that madness, Sylhet’s field is supposed to be full today.
However, there is a little risk in reaching any conclusions based on the previous day’s atmosphere. There is plenty of time to collect tickets. The first match of the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka T20 series will start the next day at 6 pm. Until then, ticket sales will continue. The remaining two matches of the T20 series are also in Sylhet. After that the journey from Sylhet to Chittagong will start. Two teams will go from Sylhet to Chittagong for the three-match ODI series. Will have to return to Sylhet for the first test. We have to go to Chittagong again for the second test. It is only the second time that there is no match in Mirpur in a full bilateral series in Bangladesh. The first time it happened was in 2006, incidentally Seba was also the opponent against Sri Lanka. The game was played in Bogra and Chittagong.
A Sri Lankan journalist who had come to cover the series was very worried after hearing about the turmoil of the tour. How to go to Chittagong from Sylhet, and how to return to Sylhet after the Chittagong phase. The journalist was so worried that he even called his office in Sri Lanka. After speaking in Sinhalese for a long time, the decision he announced was to finish the T20 series in Sylhet for the time being, the next one will be seen later. The thinking of both the teams is centered on T20 for now. It is probably ahead of the year in terms of importance of the 20-over World Cup.
Sri Lanka has already entered the mood of T20. A few days ago, he played a T20 series against Afghanistan at home. Won 2-1. Despite winning the series, the team’s new captain Wanindu Hasaranga has been banned for two matches for making bad comments about the umpire. Hasaranga will remain a spectator in the first two matches despite posing with the trophy with Bangladesh captain Nazmul Hossain in the tea garden next to the Sylhet Stadium yesterday. Sri Lanka will be led by vice-captain Charit Asalanka.
Since the topic of the captain is LE, Nazmul Hossain demanded a little more detailed discussion. A few days ago, BCB officially handed over the leadership of Bangladesh cricket to Nazmul. Earlier also served as part-time captain in three editions of cricket. However, this is captain Nazmul’s first series after officially taking charge. In his mentality, it is natural not to think about anything other than winning the series. On top of that, Bangladesh had a great year 2023 in this edition. Only 2 losses in 11 matches, starting with a series win against England and ending the year with a series draw in New Zealand. Bangladesh will hope to win the series against Sri Lanka in their own ground.
However, many of those who have achieved this success in T20 last year are not in the team of this series. Shakib Al Hasan’s name will come first. Shakib, who led Bangladesh to this success, is not playing in any edition against Sri Lanka. No Roni Talukder, Afif Hossain, Shamim Hossain and Hasan Mahmudrao. They have been replaced by relatively experienced Soumya Sarkar, Enamul Haque and Mahmudullah. Mahmudullah’s return to international T20 was after September 2022. After the ODIs, he is also well on his way to the T20 World Cup. Even after the change in the team, the change in the style of playing T20 in Bangladesh will be maintained? That is perhaps the biggest question in the T20 series starting today.