Beat Sri Lanka and reach final?: Tigers’ extra motivation for tonight’s clash

Despite a rivalry that has simmered since the 2018 Nidahas Trophy and only intensified over the years, Bangladesh fans may feel less resentment toward Sri Lanka this time.

After all, it was Sri Lanka's win over Afghanistan in the final Group B game that kept the Tigers' qualification hopes alive.

The simplest equation for Litton Das and Co before that game was for Sri Lanka to win against the Afghans, and Charith Asalanka's men did just that -- that too in an emphatic way, chasing a challenging 170-run target in Abu Dhabi with six wickets and eight balls to spare.

Now, Bangladesh face Sri Lanka once again tonight in the Super Four, and the stakes could not be higher.

Even though it was Sri Lanka's victory that ensured Bangladesh's negative net run-rate did not eliminate them, Litton and his men will step onto the Dubai International Cricket Stadium tonight with added motivation.

Bangladesh have only three wins to 14 defeats against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup, across ODI and T20I iterations. Their wins came in the 2012, 2016, and 2018 editions respectively, and, interestingly, in all three editions, the Tigers made it to the final.

This time around, Bangladesh's only defeat in the group stage came against Sri Lanka exactly a week ago in Abu Dhabi. The Lankans dominated throughout, restricting the Tigers to 139 for five before chasing it down convincingly with six wickets in hand and 32 balls to spare. 

Surely, the Tigers will be eager to set the record straight tonight. And with the added incentive of boosting their chances of reaching the final -- both by adding crucial points in the Super Four table and by recalling their past trend of victories leading to finals -- Litton and Co will have no shortage of motivation.