Bangladesh Elects to Bat First in Women's Asia Cup Opener Against Sri Lanka

Bangladesh, the only team besides India to have won the Women's Asia Cup, kicked off their campaign against hosts Sri Lanka in Dambulla. Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana opted to bat first after winning the toss, citing favorable batting conditions.

"The ball is coming on to the bat nicely, and we want to put a score on the board," Sultana said. "We make this tournament equally important as the T20 World Cup."

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, while not disappointed with the decision to bowl first, acknowledged the good batting surface. "We don't want to take too much pressure, one match at a time," she said.

The Dambulla pitch has been conducive to batting in the previous three matches played on it. However, the long square boundaries emphasize the importance of quick running between the wickets.

Bangladesh, coming off a 0-5 sweep against India at home, will be eager to break their winless streak in T20Is in 2024. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, has enjoyed a successful year in the format, winning nine of their 12 matches, including a 2-1 series victory over South Africa.

Sri Lanka's batting lineup has become more balanced, with Vishmi Gunaratne and Kavisha Dilhari emerging as reliable contributors alongside Athapaththu.

Tags: #WomensAsiaCup, #Bangladesh, #SriLanka, #Toss, #BattingConditions