Asia Cup 2023: How `Naagin` Dance SPICED Up Rivalry Between Sri Lanka And Bangladesh

How did the rivalry between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh started? What role did the famous `Naagin` dance play in spicing it up? Even Shanaka agrees the rivalry has been reignired by Naagin Dance. Know all about it here.

Ashes is considered to be the biggest battle in Tests. India vs Pakistan, for many, is considered to be the most-pressured international cricket match. There's one more rivalry that has been in the making for last few years. It is the one between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It all started in 2018 when both the sides met in a T20I. 

The cricketer who first did the famous 'Naagin' dance (dancing like a snake) was Nazmul Islam. He had done it previously in Bangladesh Premier League, for the first time in 2016 after taking a wicket. The snake dance celebration made its debut after Islam removed many Sri Lankan batters in this T20I in February 2018. Islam broke into 'Naagin' dance and one of the dismissed Lankan batters Danushka Gunathilaka did not take a liking to it. He needed to return the favour soon. 

In the next T20I, Gunathilaka removed Aby Jayed and started celebrating the wicket with the snake dance. This was a payback and it made one particular Bangladeshi batter, Mushfiqur Rahim, very angry. 

The revenge game continued. In Match 2018, during Nidahas Trophy, Rahum smashed a brilliant fifty to guide Bangladesh to a win over Lanka and broke into a 'Naagin' dance to celebrate. The whole team did the snake dance when Bangladesh knocked Lankans out of the Asia Cup 2018. Lankan players were surely going to get back.

The reply by Lankans took a long time. When they knocked out Bangladesh of Asia Cup 2022 in September 2022, bowler Chamika Karunaratne mocked them by doing a 'Naagin' dance celebration. What started in February 2018 is still going on. The 'Naagin' dance has surely added spice to this new-born rivalry between the two sides. 

It should not be forgotten that Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka had rated Bangladesh lower than Afghanistan before the Asia Cup clash in 2022. Then Bangladesh team director Khaled Mahmud had made a controversial statement, saying Lankans did not have world-class bowlers. Ahead of the Asia Cup 2023 clash, Shanaka said that the 'Naagin' dance has added a lot to the rivalry.

The two teams meet again in an Asia Cup match on Thursday (August 31) and expect tempers to flare again and some 'Naagin' dance celebrations visible on the ground. Both the teams are struggling with injuries. Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out due to injury while Kusal Perera, who was down with Covid-19, is also unsure of playing in the match. At the same time, Bangladesh will be without their two top-class batters Tamim Iqbal and Litton Das, both of whom are injured.