Asia Cup, Match 2 | SL vs BAN Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Ground Stats

Shakib Al Hasan will be back to lead Bangladesh (AP Photos)

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will begin their Asia Cup 2023 campaign on Thursday (August 31) in Match 2 of the competition at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele. This will be the tournament’s first match in Sri Lanka, who are co-hosting alongside Pakistan following India’s objections to traveling there due to political reasons.

Each and every Asia Cup fixture will be crucial for the respective side to keep their Super Four qualification hopes alive. The tournament will be played in a 50-over format similar to the ODI World Cup that will be played immediately after this.

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The inaugural ODI game at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium took place on March 8, 2011. Back then, Pakistan and New Zealand faced off, with the former winning by an enormous margin of 110 runs. From that point forward, 33 games in total were played at this venue, with the most recent one taking place in November 2022 between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium ODI Records

Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal has the second-most overall ODI runs at this venue with 432 runs at an average of 25.41. Meanwhile, with 939 runs over 15 outings at an astounding 78.25, Tillakaratne Dilshan leads the chart by a significant margin. Kusal Mendis is placed fourth, having scored 419 runs from 16 matches.

Among the current bowlers, Wanindu Hasaranga, who has been ruled out of the competition due to an unfortunate injury, is seventh on the highest-wicket takers’ chart with 10 scalps in five matches. Lasith Malinga enjoyed the most success with the ball, having snared 24 wickets in 16 matches.

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