Published on 12:00 AM, March 22, 2017

ODI warm-up in Colombo today

Bangladesh opener Soumya Sarkar (2nd from R) and teammates enjoy a kickabout during a practice session at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo yesterday. The Tigers will play the first game of their three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium on March 25. Photo: AFP

Bangladesh will play their one-day warm-up match against a Sri Lanka Board President's XI at the Colombo Cricket Club Ground today.

The Tigers will be up against a strong line-up that includes international players like Janith Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera and Dasun Shanaka in the 50-over match starting at 10:30am (Bangladesh time).

It is not yet certain if it will be an 11-versus-11 affair or whether Bangladesh will field 13 players. Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mustafizur Rahman and Subashis Roy will not play in the match. The match will feature former Under-19 pace-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin and national pacer Abul Hasan, both of whom are in Sri Lanka only to gather experience from this practice game. They are expected to fly back to Dhaka tomorrow.

The Sri Lanka Board President's XI features mostly former or current national ODI players, a departure from the relatively weaker team that played the two-day warm-up against the tourists.

The Bangladesh team will travel to Dambulla tomorrow to play two day-nighters on March 25 and March 28 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, before coming back to Colombo to play the third ODI in a day match at the Sinhalese Sports Club on April 1.