A 15-member Bangladesh team, lead by Mushfiqur Rahim, will leave for Sri Lanka today (Thursday) to play two Tests, three ODIs and a lone T20 match against their Sri Lankan counterpart, reports BSS.

Addressing a pre-departure press conference at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium Wednesday Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim said that there was no doubt that the team's strength has drastically reduced due the injury problem of the three key players of the team but at the same time their absence has given the scope to some young and talented cricketers in the team."

The Bangladesh skipper however expressed high optimism about doing well in the Sri Lana tour as he said: "If we (seniors) are able to give a little more effort with the young guys, it is possible to do well in Sri Lanka."

National team's head coach Shane Jurgensen said he has instructed his boys to play with winning mentality in Sri Lanka that they showed in the last home series against West Indies.

He said only winning attitude would help them to get a good result in Sri Lanka.

Jurgensen said the board provided them enough time to prepare themselves in the last three days for the Sri Lanka tour. Besides, the players were busy playing in Bangladesh Premier League T20 and just concluded Bangladesh Championship League. Earlier, left-arm spinner Enamul Haque Jnr. lost his spot on the tour of Sri Lanka because of a hamstring injury while middle-order batsman Naeem Islam was also ruled out with a right quadriceps tear.

They were replaced by uncapped batsman Marshall Ayub and left-arm spinner Elias Sunny.

Bangladesh's pre-tour misery continued after top order batsman Shahriar Nafees' hand injury ruled him out. Nafees told the chief selector, Akram Khan, of his lack of confidence in gripping the bat comfortably.

He will be replaced by Mohammad Ashraful who has scored two centuries in this domestic season. Ashraful is making a comeback into the Test side after 15 months.

During the month-long tour, Bangladesh will play their first Test against Sri Lanka from March 8-12 at the Galle International Stadium, the second and final Test will be held from March 16-20 at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. The Mushfiq men will also play a three-day practice match against the local selection after the first Test.

After the Test series, the first ODI will be held on March 23 at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Sooriyawewa, Hambantota while the second ODI will take place on March 25 at the same venue.

The third and last ODI will be held on March 28 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium before a lone T20 on March 31 at the same venue.

Bangladesh squad:

Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Mahmud Ullah Raid (vice captain), Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Ashraful, Anamul Haque, Marshall Ayub, Nasir Hossain, Shohag Gazi, Abul Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Md. Elias, Jahurul Islam, Muminul Hoque, Shahadat Hossain and Robiul Islam.