Bangladesh v Sri Lanka: Can the Tigers turn around a one-sided rivalry?

Sri Lanka’s Test record against Bangladesh is one of near-complete dominance, but could that be about to change in the World Test Championship?

The WTC returns on May 15 with Bangladesh targeting a first-ever series win over Sri Lanka.

The Tigers will host back-to-back Tests, the first at Chattogram and the second in Mirpur, and will need to make history if they are to pull away from England at the foot of the WTC Standings.

Since Sri Lanka and Bangladesh first met in the longest format in 2001 it has been one-way traffic, with Sri Lanka winning 17 and losing just one of their 22 total meetings.

We take a look at some of the historical talking points from Sri Lanka’s two decades of dominance.

Muttiah Muralitharan’s record against the Tigers was remarkable.

In 11 matches he took 11 five-wicket hauls, picking up ten wickets in a match on four separate occasions.

Murali took a hatful of wickets against every single opposition, averaging less than 26 against all-but India and Australia. But his lowest average against a single opponent came against Bangladesh, with his 89 wickets coming at just 13.37.

SANGAKKARA’S SUBLIME RECORD

One batter dominates the run-scoring charts between these nations, with Kumar Sangakkara head and shoulders clear of the next best on the all-time list.

The Sri Lankan legend’s dominance against Bangladesh was extraordinary. In 21 innings he scored 1816 runs, with Mahela Jayawardene’s 1146 the next highest by any batter on either side.

Sangakkara’s runs came at an eye-watering average of 95.57, and at a decent lick too, scored at a strike-rate just a touch under 60.

A batter has notched up a double-ton eight times in fixtures between these two nations, and three of those innings were by the brilliant left-hander.

And he also holds the record for the highest individual score in Tests between the two, with his 319 in Chattogram in 2014 being the biggest knock of his career.

(ICC)