A brilliant all-round performance from the Bangladesh cricketers saw them make history as they beat Sri Lanka comfortably yesterday by 103 runs (D/L) and thereby recording the first ever series win against the Lankans with one game to go.
After yesterday’s loss, talking at the post match interview, Sri Lanka skipper Kusal Perera said that lack of experience cost them the game.
How inexperienced were Sri Lanka compared to Bangladesh yesterday? We look at a statistical comparison between the two teams.
Bangladesh team which played in the 2nd ODI, including one debutant, has a overall match experience of 1,073 matches while their counterparts have a total aggregate of only 402 matches.
Sri Lankans have scored 9000 runs between them while the Bangladeshis have a whopping 27,460 runs between them with 36 centuries under their name while Sri Lankans have a combined 9 centuries only. Five of them coming from Captain Kusal Perera.
Even from the bowling end, Sri Lanka looked very week experience wise, as they have only 130 wickets between them while Bangladesh lead by Shakib Al Hasan have a total tally of 575 wickets.
Therefore, statistically Sri Lanka were way too inexperienced than Bangladesh who currently have one of their most experienced teams playing. Top 4 of Bangladesh’s highest run scorers in their ODI history are all part of the current team ( Tamim, Mushfiqur, Shakib & Mahmudullah)
With this equation in place, it is clearly evident that experience wise Sri Lanka were way below the current Bangladesh team. It begs the question if selectors were right not to consider several senior Sri Lankan cricketers who were available for selection. Chief selector Pramodya Wickramasinghe justified the omission of seniors citing the need to build a young team targeting the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
Only time will tell if the SL selectors have made the right choice, but for now it is a fact that current Sri Lanka team which lost the ODI series to Bangladesh is probably the most inexperienced team to play against Bangladesh.
There is no doubt that these cricketers are highly talented, on their day they can win matches singlehandedly. Only their skills and application can pull the team out of this mess and redeem themselves on Friday, when the Lions will look to avoid a Whitewash against the Tigers.