Despite winning two out of their three group-stage matches in the Asia Cup, Bangladesh’s place in the Super Four was not guaranteed. Their fate depended on the last Group B game between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. The equation was simple—if Afghanistan lost, Bangladesh would qualify. With Sri Lanka’s victory, Bangladesh secured their spot in the Super Four.
Within just a week, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are set to face each other again in the Asia Cup. For Bangladesh, today’s clash carries added motivation—because a win against Sri Lanka could open the door to the final.
Historically, Bangladesh’s record against Sri Lanka is not very rich. For the past decade or so, the contests between the two sides have been relatively balanced. But before that, Bangladesh often surrendered helplessly to the Lankans.
So, when Bangladesh take the field today against Sri Lanka, history won’t provide much inspiration. In T20Is, Bangladesh have 8 wins compared to Sri Lanka’s 13. In the Asia Cup, the head-to-head record is even more one-sided—Bangladesh have won just 3 times while losing 14.
Their most recent defeat came in the group stage, when Bangladesh’s 140-run target was chased down by Sri Lanka in just 14.4 overs. That loss pushed Bangladesh onto the back foot. Yet, there’s another side to the story that can inspire the Tigers: their three wins in this Asia Cup have boosted morale, and history shows that beating Sri Lanka in this tournament often leads to something big.
Bangladesh first defeated Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup in 2012—a historic win, not just because it was their first against Sri Lanka in a multinational tournament, but also because it took Mushfiqur Rahim’s team to the final.
They repeated the feat in 2016 under Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, again reaching the final. In the 2018 Asia Cup, played in the ODI format, Bangladesh—despite a weakened squad—beat Sri Lanka and still made it to the final.
Looking back, one thing stands out: whenever Bangladesh have beaten Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup, a final appearance has followed. Once again, Sri Lanka stand in their way. A win today may not directly seal a place in the final, but it would be a huge step forward toward that goal. That’s exactly what Bangladesh will be aiming for.
