Mehidy Hasan Miraz In; Key Players To Watch Out For In BAN vs SL ODI Series

Jatin

SL vs BAN ODI series will start on July 2 [Source: @OfficialSLC/x.com]SL vs BAN ODI series will start on July 2 [Source: @OfficialSLC/x.com]

After a gripping Test leg where Sri Lanka edged out Bangladesh 1-0, it’s time to shift gears and move into white-ball mode. The three-match ODI series kicks off on July 2 in Colombo and there is already a buzz in the air.

While both teams are walking in with new narratives: Bangladesh under fresh leadership and Sri Lanka with a near-settled squad, some individual battles and performances are sure to steal the limelight.

Here’s a look at five players to watch out for as the SL vs BAN ODI series gets underway.

5. Charith Asalanka

  • Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka has been leading from the front in 2025. With the bat, he has been pure gold with 209 runs in 5 ODIs this year at an average of 52.25 and a strike rate just a tick above 101.
  • He has got a fifty and a hundred to his name already and what makes him even more valuable is his handy off-spin. In tight matches, Asalanka’s bowling has helped break partnerships and slow things down.
  • Add to that his smart captaincy and his hunger to maintain Sri Lanka’s home dominance, and you have got a man who will be in the thick of the action.

4. Maheesh Theekshana

  • There is just something about Maheesh Theekshana and dry Sri Lankan pitches, they click like magic. He has been Sri Lanka’s top wicket-taker in ODIs in 2025, picking up 11 wickets in just 4 games at an average of 11.81 and an economy of 4.56.
  • If you dig deeper, the form doesn’t look like a flash in the pan. In his last 9 ODIs, he has picked up 19 wickets while maintaining an economy of 4.41.
  • With his variations, control and the conditions playing into his hands, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Theekshana runs riot again.

3. Najmul Hossain Shanto

  • Just days after stepping down as Bangladesh’s Test skipper, Najmul Hossain Shanto walks into the ODIs with form to envy. In the first Test of the series, he cracked twin tons: 148 and an unbeaten 125, sending a message loud and clear that he is here to score big.
  • In ODIs since 2024, he has been just as consistent. Across 7 matches, he has racked up 363 runs at an average of 60.5, including two fifties and a hundred.
  • Now, without the burden of captaincy, he will be looking to bat with more freedom and anchor Bangladesh’s innings.

2. Pathum Nissanka

  • While his 2025 ODI stats don’t jump off the page: 86 runs in 5 games at an average of 17.20, Pathum Nissanka is walking in with serious red-ball form behind him.
  • His last two knocks in the Test series were a jaw-dropping 187 followed by a blazing 158.
  • Moreover, his ODI record is no joke with 2500+ runs in 66 matches, averaging over 40 with a strike rate of 90+. He is consistent, classy, and now, confident. Expect fireworks at the top if Nissanka gets going.

1. Mehidy Hasan Miraz

  • It’s a new dawn for Bangladesh’s ODI team and leading them is Mehidy Hasan Miraz. With the bat, he has been incredibly dependable. Since 2024, Mehidy has piled up 323 runs in 10 ODI innings, averaging 32.3, and has hit three half-centuries.
  • And with the ball? Still sharp as ever with 8 wickets with an economy of 4.75, keeping things tight in the middle overs.
  • Now wearing the captain’s armband, Mehidy will be looking to lead by example and script a fresh chapter for Bangladesh’s white-ball journey.