(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – With an eye on improving its less than impressive away record, Bangladesh will look to catch an under-strength Sri Lanka off guard when the two-Test series gets underway in Galle this morning (07th Monday).
Bangladesh has won just three of its 45 away matches, two against West Indies in 2009 and one against Zimbabwe in 2013, but has shown considerable improvement since its last victory overseas.
In its own backyard, Bangladesh has won four Tests, drawn five and conceded only three defeats since 2014.
It showed impressive recent form against New Zealand and then India in away matches despite losing in both countries.
Sri Lanka has a solid record at home and blanked Australia 3-0 in the last series it hosted, in August 2016.
But Bangladesh will be buoyed by the return of Mustafizur Rahman, the left-arm paceman who has not played a Test since his debut series against South Africa in 2015.
Sri Lanka has won each of its last five Tests on home soil and will be captained by experienced left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who replaced Angelo Mathews who returned home last month midway through the South African tour after injury.
The teams are also scheduled to play three One-Day Internationals before facing off in two Twenty20 Internationals to wind down the tour on April 6th. The encounter gets underway at 10am today.
