Sri Lanka and Bangladesh meet in the third ODI at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Saturday and although the series is relatively unheralded, it is a terrific betting heat. Not that you would think so from the odds at our green listed bookmakers.
The home team are pretty skinny at 1.73 (Coral) while they are even as short as 1.62 with Betfred. Needless to say that firm are biggest about Bangladesh at 2.25. It is a good price about the Banglas and we must take it.
We are struggling to understand why Bangladesh are considered such big outsiders here. Anyone would think they were the team who were 1-0 down after being thrashed in game one. But they’re not, of course.
Bangladesh took the lead with a superb display in Dambullah. They were explosive with the bat when posting 327 at 6.48 an over. Tamim Iqbal recorded a century while there were good contributions from the excellent Sabbir Rahman and Shakib-al-Hasan, the best all-rounder in the world. Both recorded half-centuries.
With the ball they restricted Sri Lanka to 234 with Mustafizur Rahman, one of our favourite players, taking three wickets. The Fizz, as he is known, is a superb exponent with the white ball and he is probably the chief difference between the teams.
Hell, Bangladesh may even be better than this Sri Lanka team. Of course, we only need to believe they are as good to call them value. They have some good, raw talent but they miss the experience of leader Angelo Mathews and are still in a rebuilding phase following the retirements of the Big Three – Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Kusal Mendis is a dangerous batter and we have always admired Dinesh Chandimal but they don’t have the exciting game changers that Bangladesh have. We can only think that the layers have failed to do their research properly and are stuck in a time warp.
Bangladesh are decent ODI outfit these days and they are being priced up as if it was five or six years ago. Even the conditions in Sri Lanka suit their spinners and reverse swingers.
There is a slight toss bias at the SSC with 30 of the 52 completed ODI won by the team fielding first. That is worth knowing especially with a bit of rain forecast for the contest.
If the toss goes Bangladesh’s way then they would rate an even better wager, particularly as rain could reduce overs and therefore their target. As we always say, it is easier to score at eight at an over for 20 overs than six-and-a-half for 50.
Kusal is 4.3 with William Hill, and Betfair to top score for Sri Lanka. Tamim is 4 with Bet365, Skybet, Ladbrokes. But we reckon Sabbir has been underrated at 6 with Bet365.
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