Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Bangladesh will play their 100th Test match, against Sri Lanka, on March 15 in Colombo.
Having played their first Test in November 2000, Bangladesh will be the last of the Full Members to complete the century, having taken little over 16 years to the mark, reports The Stands quoting ESPNcricinfo.
The visitors will begin their tour with a two-day practice game in Moratuwa before the first Test in Galle on March 7 and their milestone match at P Sara Oval a week later.
The limited-overs leg begins with a warm-up game on March 22, before Dambulla hosts the first and second ODIs on March 25 and 28.
The series concludes in Colombo – unusually at the SSC, which has not hosted an ODI since 2011.
Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva said the decision to play this match – a day game – was made on the basis that Bangladesh were not a major drawcard.
The SSC has a capacity of about 10,000.
“The reason we don’t host one-day games at SSC when we play other teams, is because we feel we won’t be able to accommodate the crowds there – the capacity is very limited at SSC,” de Silva said. “But when we play against Bangladesh, though there will be crowds, it will not exceed the capacity which can be accommodated as SSC, I’m sure.
“When you play at a smaller ground also, it would seem like there are crowds – even for a Bangladesh tour. We can market it better.”
The two T20Is to finish the tour, however, will be played at Khettarama.
The Bangladesh squad is expected to be announced by February 20, while training begins in Mirpur on February 24.
This is Bangladesh’s first bilateral tour of Sri Lanka since 2013, when they drew the Galle Test and also secured a 1-1 result in the three-match ODI series.
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