Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardena added to the war of words between the Islanders and Bangladesh ahead of their crucial clash in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 which will be played on September 1, 2022, in Dubai.
Both the teams lost their first games in Group B to Afghanistan, who have qualified for the Super 4s stage and only one more spot remains up for grabs. The winner of this Sri Lanka v Bangladesh clash will join Afghanistan in Super 4s, where India has also qualified from Group A.
Recently, Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka took a swipe at Bangladesh, stating the team is an ‘easier opponent’ than Afghanistan which has ‘no world-class bowlers’ apart from captain Shakib al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman.
“Afghanistan has a world-class bowling attack. We know Fizz [Mustafizur Rahman] is a good bowler. Shakib [al Hasan] is a world-class bowler. But apart from them, there is no world-class bowler in the side. So if we compare with Afghanistan, Bangladesh is an easier opponent,” Shanaka said while addressing a press conference.
This led to Bangladesh team manager Khaled Mahmud to retort in kind saying “I don’t know why Dasun made that comment. Definitely, Afghanistan has a better squad. He said we have only two bowlers in our line-up, but I don’t see any bowlers in Sri Lanka. At least Bangladesh has world-class bowlers like Mustafiz and Shakib. They don’t even have that. It is not about the words. It is about how you play the game.”
This was a dig at Sri Lanka coming into the tournament with four uncapped pacers out of which two were handed their debuts against Afghanistan.
Now Mahela Jayawardena has also jumped into the tussle as he quoted the video of Mahmud’s statement, and called upon the Sri Lankan team to showcase their class.
Jayawardena posted: “Looks like it’s time for @OfficialSLC bowlers to show the class and batters to show who they are on the field.”
The game between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will be the decider for the second spot from Group B in the Super Fours.
