Afghanistan are winless in the series so far. They lost the one-off Test by 10 wickets, were humbled in the ODI series, and have lost the first two T20Is too. The Afghans lost the first T20I by four runs and the second by 72 runs.

They are ranked tenth in the ICC T20I rankings heading into this series. The visitors had a chance to make a turnaround in the T20I series with a power-packed side at their disposal. However, they lost the two games and were outplayed in the process.

The side is led by the young Ibrahim Zadran who is the stand-in skipper for the series. Rashid Khan is not a part of this series as he is recovering from his lower back injury. His absence has been richly felt by the side.

Heading into the final T20I, the batters need to step up, especially the top-order. The likes of Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz who have not scored too many runs in the series need to be back amongst the runs and give the team a substantial total.

Also Read: MUL vs ISL Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win Today PSL Match? Match 5, PSL 2024

Afghanistan Playing 11 vs Sri Lanka, 3rd T20I, 2024

Hazratullah Zazai

Afghanistan decided to open with Zazai and Ibrahk zadran. The southpaw scored just one in the previous game and should look to score a big one in the final T20I. He scored just one in the previous game.

Ibrahim Zadran (C)

Zadran will open the batting with Zazai. He scored an unbeaten 67 in the first T20I and just 10 in the second game. The skipper needs a big knock in the decider.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK)

Gurbaz was moved down to three in the last game and scored just 13. He scored 13 in the first T20I as well. The keeper-batter needs to be back to his belligerent batting form.

Gulbadin Naib

Naib the big-hitter will bat at four. He batted at number three in the first game and scored 16. In the second T20I, he scored just four. He is inching closer to 1000 T20I runs.

Azmatullah Omarzai

Omarzai was out for a first-ball-duck in the last game. The all-rounder has looked like the best batter for his side since the ODI World Cup. He also scored a century in the previous ODI series against Sri Lanka.

Mohammad Nabi

Nabi is the most experienced player in this T20I side. He scored nine in the first T20I and 27 in the second. He is 19 short of 2000 T20I runs and 10 short of 100 T20I wickets. He scored 9 in the first T20i and 27 in the second.

Karim Janat

Janat scored 28 in the last game with the bat and bowled two overs with the ball for 20 runs. He is another experienced all-rounder in the lineup.

Fazalhaq Farooqi

Farooqi will lead the pace attack. He has been playing white-ball cricket continuously for the visitors. He picked up three wickets in the first T20I and one in the second. He is 15 shy of 50 T20I wickets.

Naveen-ul-Haq

Naveen will share the new ball with Farooqi. He retired from ODI cricket after the ODI World Cup and does not play Test cricket. He picked up two wickets in the first T20I and one in the second. He is seven shy of 50 T20I wickets.

Noor Ahmad

Noor will be one of the two spinners to conclude the XI. He picked one wicket in the first T20I and went wicketless in the second. He was recently charged with by the ILT20 on disciplinary grounds.

Qais Ahmad

Qais concludes the Afghanistan T20I playing XI for the final T20I against Sri Lanka. He played the first T20I and picked up a wicket but did not play the second. In Rashid and Mujeeb’s absence, he should play in the XI.

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Sri Lanka won the first T20I by four runs and the second by 72 runs. Batting first they piled up 187/6 with Sadeera Samarawickrama (51) and Angelo Mathews (42* off 22) scoring runs in the lower order after a good start from the top order.

The bowlers then came together to dismiss Afghanistan for a paltry 115. All six Sri Lankan bowlers got wickets with skipper Wanindu Hasaranga picking up 2/19. Mathews picked up 2/9 in two overs to win the Man of the Match award.

Sri Lanka have been thoroughly dominant in this series against Afghanistan and have remained unbeaten. They have extended their winning streak in T20Is to five out of seven games. Heading into the last T20I, Sri Lanka can either play with the same squad or ring in a few changes to give changes to a few players as well.

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Sri Lanka Playing 11 vs Afghanistan, 3rd T20I, 2024

Pathum Nissanka

Nissanka will open the batting. He has scored 6 and 25 in the first two games and will look to finish on a high. The batter became the first Sri Lankan to score a double-century in ODIs in the ODI series.

Kusal Mendis (WK)

Mendis the ODI skipper was chosen as the specialist keper batter over Kusal Perera. He scored 10 and 23 in the first two games. It will be interesting to see if the ODI skipper is rested for the final game.

Dhananjaya de Silva

Test skipper Dhahnanyaja de Silva will slot in at three. He scored 24 and 14 in the first two games and will look to finish on a high in the third T20I. Previously he led his side to a Test win against Afghanistan in the series.

Sadeera Samarawickrama

The batter is fresh off his 51 off 42 balls in the second T20I. He plays spin well and is becoming a dependable player with the bat for his side. He notched up his first fifty-plus score in the format.

Charith Asalanka

Asalanka will bat at five. He has managed to single-digit scores in the first two games and will look to finish strongly. The southpaw is 85 short of 1000 T20I runs and can target it in the final T20I.

Angelo Mathews

Mathews scored an unbeaten 42 batting at seven in the second T20I. Number six or seven is an ideal batting position for him in the format since he is a finisher for the side. He also took two wickets.

Dasun Shanaka

Shanaka can bat at seven. As the Sri Lankan T20I skipper, he batted at seven mostly and finished games for the side. He scored just six in the first T20I and did not bat in the second game.

Wanindu Hasaranga

Hasaranga can bat at eight. He scored an unbeaten 22 off just nine balls in the second T20I and took 2/19 with the ball. He is now the second Lankan bowler with more than 100 T20I wickets after Lasith Malinga.

Maheesh Theekshana

Theekshana can bat at nine. He can hit the long balls in the lower order and pair up with Hasaranga as the spin twin for the Lankans. He has picked up two wickets in two games.

Dilshan Madushanka

Madushanka can replace Binura Fernando in the last game. He was not picked for the first two games while Fernando picked up wickets in both the game. The management might look to give the other left-arm pacer a chance.

Matheesha Pathirana

Pathirana concludes the likely Sri Lankan XI. He picked up four wickets in the first game and two in the second. He has now picked six wickets from just three T20Is.

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Date and Venue

The SL vs AFG third T20I will be played in Dambulla on February 21. The match starts at 7 pm IST. The series was expected to be closely contested but the hosts have outplayed the visitors in the first two games by registering victories. 

Team Analysis- SL vs AFG Match Preview- 3rd T20I, 2024

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka into this series after beating Afghanistan handsomely in the Test and ODI series. They won the one-off Test by 10 wickets and earned biog victories in the three ODIs. Sri Lanka won the first ODI by 42 runs, second by 155 runs, and third by seven wickets. 

They have swept them away in the T20I series as well. They held their nerves to snatch up a win in the first match which was a close finish. In the second T20I, they bowled out the opposition for just 115, after putting up 187 on the board. 

Everything has fallen into place so far for the Islanders, Their batters have scored runs, and their bowlers have taken wickets. Wanindu Hasaranga has had a good start to stint as Sri Lanka’s T20I captain. A clean sweep will be the ideal way to finish the series on a high. The team has ticked many of the boxes correctly ahead of the T20 World Cup. 

Sri Lanka Squad 

Wanindu Hasaranga (C), Charith Asalanka (VC), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya De Silva, Kusal Perera, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando

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Afghanistan 

Nothing has gone right for the Ibrahim Zadran-led Afghanistan team in this tour so far. They lost the one-off Test and the ODI series. They were expected to bounce back in the T20I series, a format where they have achieved a lot of success in the last few months. However, the gulf between the two teams only widened. Now Sri Lanka have won five out of the seven T20Is played against Afghanistan. 

The batters have let the team down in the series so far especially Rahmanullah Gurbaz. He earned a reputation of being a hard-hitting opener but has not taken the responsibility at the top. He scored 13 each in the first two games putting too much pressure on the middle and the lower-order. 

The absence of Rashid Khan has weakened the bowling attack a lot more. He is out of the team since he underwent the surgery after the World Cup but the other spinners could not make the most of his absence. 

Afghanistan Squad 

 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran (c), Najibullah Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Qais Ahmad, Noor Ahmad, Wafadar Momand, Mohammad Ishaq

Key Battles

Rahmanullah Gurbaz vs Wanindu Hasaranga 

The Gurbaz vs Hasaranga is one of the most important battles in the SL vs AFG T20I. So far the leggie has dismissed the Afghan keeper-batter once each in ODIs and T20Is. He has dismissed Gurbaz one each in ODIs and T20Is as well. Given that Gurbaz needs to score quick runs for his team, the hosts will look to dismiss him early and Hasaranga will be the ideal match-up against him. 

Angelo Mathews vs Mohammad Nabi 

This should be a nice battle between the two experienced customers. Mathews played a lovely cameo in the last game while Nabi being the most experienced of the Afghanistan bowlers should look to gun down his wicket in the final overs. 

Key Players 

For Afghanistan, Gurbaz and Ibrahim are the key players with the bat. The Afghan batters have let themselves down in the ODI series and the first two games hence need to up their game in the T20I series.

They will need to give enough runs to their bowlers to win the contest. With the ball, the spin twins, Noor Ahmad, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman are the key bowlers. Both teams will employ the spin to win formulae to win the game and the Afghans have their key weapons ready. 

For Sri Lanka, after the last game, Mathews becomes a crucial player in the final overs. Charith Asalanka is the other as he can score quick runs in the final overs. Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana are the two key bowlers from Sri Lanka for this game. 

Weather and Pitch

The weather prediction for the SL vs AFG third T20I is pretty clear on Wednesday. The temperature will be around 31 degrees during the day while it will drop to 22 degrees and the sky will be fairly clear in the evening. 

The venue has hosted just five T20I games with two three matches won by the team batting first and two chasing. The average first innings score is close to 150. With the batting firepower on both sides, we can expect a high-scoring contest. 

Conclusion

Sri Lanka will look to rise the T20I rankings if they manage to clean sweep Afghanistan. Afghanistan, on the other hand, will look to salvage a victory, avoid a clean sweep, and finish the series on a positive note.

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Sri Lanka won the first T20I by four runs and then thumped Afghanistan in the second T20I by 72 runs. They scored 187/6 batting first and bowled out the Afghans for a paltry 115. 

Afghanistan who were expected to make a comeback in the T20I series after their ODI series drubbing have played even worse and let themselves down. The head-to-head count now in SL vs AFG T20Is sits 5-2 in favor of Sri Lanka. 

Sri Lanka will be led by Wanindu Hasaranga in the series. He was named the new T20I skipper for Sri Lanka after the ODI World Cup. The SLC decided to change the leadership responsibilities choosing three different captains for different formats.

Hasaranga was chosen as the T20I skipper. He won his first series as captain against Zimbabwe. Kusal Mendis was named the new ODI skipper and Dhananjaya de Silva the new T20I skipper.

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Ibrahim Zadran will continue to lead Afghanistan as the stand-in skipper. Regular T20I skipper Rashid Khan is still recovering from his lower back surgery. Zadran and his fellow opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz will be the key batters for the Afghans with Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmead the key bowlers in the series. The players have let themselves down in the series. 

SL vs AFG Weather Report Live Today And Pitch Report Of Dambulla Stadium – 1st T20I, 2024

Weather Report Of Dambulla

The weather conditions will be mostly cloudy throughout the day with temperatures up to 31 degrees. There is a 3-5 percent chance of rain during the day.

The weather conditions will be partly cloudy during the evening with a negligible chance of rain. There has been no rain interruption in the first two games. Hopefully, the rain will stay away in the final game as well.

Pitch Analysis

So far the Dambulla pitch has remained a good one for batting. Sri Lanka scored 160 in the first T20I. Afghanistan scored 156 in response. Sri Lanka scored 180 plus in the second T20I and Afghanistan were bowled out for just 115.

That performance does not reflect the truth as the wicket was still good enough for batting. As is expected the pitch will turn spin and dew is expected to play a role as well if it does not rain.

Weather Impact on SL vs AFG 3rd T20I

There is a 3-5 percent chance of rain in Dambulla on February 21. Thus rain might not affect the SL vs AFG third T0I. Rain has stayed away from the first two games and we have seen a full 40 overs of play which is expected to be the same way in the third T20I as well. The temperature in the evening will be around 22 degrees which will be pleasant conditions for cricket.

Conclusion

The match might not be hugely impacted by rain which gives Sri Lanka the chance to complete a clean sweep. Afghanistan will all their might expect to win the third T20I and avoid a clean sweep.

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Afghanistan are yet to win a single match in this tour so far. They came the closest in the first T20I when they lost the match by just four runs. They lost the second T20I by 72 runs and are now staring at a clean sweep. 

The hosts have been dominant throughout. They won the ODI series by big margins and have also managed to keep the winning run by winning the first two games. Hasaranga as the skipper has made all the right moves and has achieved success. 

Team Analysis

Sri Lanka 

Sri Lanka are led by Wanindu Hasaranga. He won his maiden T20I series as captain against Zimbabwe and has done pretty well to lead his team in the first two games. Sri Lanka seems to be well prepared for the T20 World Cup with their players slowly getting back to form. 

Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Angelo Mathews, Pathum Nissanka, and Kusal Mendis are the core of the side right now and their T20 World Cup squad should be prepared around them. 

Afghanistan 

Afghanistan are yet to win a single match in this series so far. They lost the one-off Test and were whitewashed in the ODI series. They lost the first two T20Is too are and staring at a clean sweep.

The batting looks the stronger suit of the visitors in the absence of Rashid Khan. There will be added pressure on the likes of Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad to deliver in the absence of Rashid Khan. Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Mohammad Nabi are the likely key batters for Afghanistan in the first SL vs AFG T20I. 

Key Factors 

Pitch Conditions 

The pitch at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla has been a very good one for batting so far. The first T20I saw Sri Lanka post 160 batting first. The second T20I saw them post 187. There is a spin on the track and the Lankan spinners have used the conditions better than the Afghan spinners. It will be interesting to see how the pitch plays in the third T20I. The pitch has no demons and Afghanistan’s batting in this series has been below par.

Form and Fitness 

Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s form throughout the series has been a big concern for the team. He failed to score runs in the ODI series and has not scored too many in the T20I series as well. The keeper-batter scored 13 each in the first two games. Fitness-wise, Afghanistan are missing Rashid Khan who is out and rehabilitating after undergoing a lower-back surgery. 

For Sri Lanka, there have been different players standing up for them in different matches. It was Pathum Nissanka in the ODI series. In the T20I series, it was skipper Wanindu Hasaranga who scored an unbeaten 67. In the second T20I, it was Angelo Mathews who played an important came. The bowlers have shared the wickers between themselves in the series. The team has no injury concerns. 

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Tactical Acumen

Sri Lanka are banking on their home advantage to win the T20I series against Afghanistan. They beat them in the one-off Test and the ODI series banking on their spinners. Afghanistan has a young captain Ibrahim Zadran and he needs support from senior players.

SL vs AFG Scores Prediction

Recent Venue Records (Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla)

STATS – T20

Total matches 5

Matches won batting first 3

Matches won bowling first 2

Average 1st Inns scores 149

Average 2nd Inns scores 128

Highest total recorded 187/6 (20 Ov) by SL vs AFG

Lowest total recorded 115/10 (17 Ov) by AFG vs SL

Highest score chased 141/3 (17 Ov) by SLW vs INDW

Lowest score defended 160/10 (19 Ov) by SL vs AFG

Who Will Score Most Runs For Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews / Pathum Nissanka

Who Will Take Most Wickets For Sri Lanka: Wanindu Hasaranga / Maheesh Theekshana

Who Will Score Most Runs For Afghanistan: Rahmaullah Gurbaz / Ibrahim Zadran 

Who Will Take Most Wickets For Afghanistan: Noor Ahmad / Mujeeb Ur Rahman 

SL vs AFG Today Match Prediction- 3rd T20I, Who Will Win Today’s T20I Match? 2024

Sri Lanka have won the first two T20Is convincingly against Afghanistan and is poised for a clean sweep. The Lankans are likely to win the match and complete clean sweep.

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After the close encounter in the first T20I, Sri Lanka humbled Afghanistan in the second T20I. They scored 187/6 with the bat and bowled out Afghanistan for just 115. All the Sri Lanka bowlers got wickets with Wanindu Hasaranga the skipper taking 2/19. In the process, he went past 100 T20I wickets. 

Afghanistan needs their openers Rahmaullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran to score runs. Mohammad Nabi becomes a key figure in the middle-order and Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad are the key bowlers for Afghanistan. The visitors have dearly felt the absence of Rashid Khan. 

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Speaking about SL vs AFG head to head, in seven T20Is now, Sri Lanka have won five and Afghanistan two. Sri Lanka won the one-off Test previously and clean-swept them in the ODI series as well. The series which was seen as a dress rehearsal for both teams has been dominated by Sri Lanka barring the closely fought first T20I. Afghanistan are staring down the barrel ahead of the third T20I.

SL vs AFG Head To Head Records (Overall Stats)

SL vs AFG: Key Statistics

The two teams have played one Test match that was won by Sri Lanka by 10 wickets. In 15 ODI matches between the two sides, Sri Lanka have won 10 games and Afghanistan five. In seven T20Is, The Lankans have won five and Afghanistan just two. The visitors are yet to win a game in this series.

SL vs AFG: Recent 5 Encounters

The two teams have played seven SL vs AFG T20Is with Sri Lanka winning five games and Afghanistan two. If we talk about the last five games between the two sides, Sri Lanka have won four games and lost just one. On the other hand, Afghanistan has lost four games, including the first two T20Is. Sri Lanka lost to Afghanistan in the Asian Games 2023 last year. The other defeat was in an Asia Cup 2022 match. 

Key Moments and Stand-out Performances (Players)

One key moment in this SL vs AFG T20I series was in the first game when Afghanistan came very close to beating Sri Lanka for the third time in T20Is. Chasing 161 to win, Afghanistan finished 156/9 and lost the match by just four runs. The hosts then humbled the visitors in the second T20I. 

Speaking of stand-out performances, Ibrahim Zadran’s unbeaten 67 was one of the stand-out performances of this T20I series. Unfortunately, the knock came in a losing cause. Wanindu Hasaranga’s two-wicket spell helped him go past 100 T20I wickets. He has picked up three wickets in two games.

Trends and Patterns

Afghanistan lost to Sri Lanka easily in the first few games in ODIs and T20Is. However, since the Asia Cup 2022 win for Afghanistan, matches have been closely fought. Afghanistan defeated Sri Lanka in the ODI World Cup as well last year. However, since then they have not won a single game against the Lankans. 

SL vs AFG Head-to-Head Records in T20Is- 3rd T20I, 2024

Matches Played: 7

Afghanistan Won-2

Sri Lanka Won- 5

Most Runs For Sri Lanka- Dhananjaya de Silva- 90

Most Wickets For Sri Lanka- Wanindu Hasaranga- 5

Most Runs For Afghanistan- Rahmanullah Gurbaz-165

Most Wickets For Afghanistan- Mujeeb Ur Rahman-6

Conclusion

Sri Lanka have now won five out of the seven T20Is against Afghanistan. Two of those wins came in this series and they are looking for a clean sweep to boost their performance ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024.

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The third and final SL vs AFG T20I starts from 7 pm IST which is 7 pm local time as we.ll. Sri Lanka hammered Afghanistan by 72 runs in the second T20I. Sri Lanka posted 187/6 in their 20 overs with all their batters getting starts. Sadeera Samarawickrama scored 51 while skipper Wanindu Hasaranga scored 22. Angelo Mathews played an important cameo of 42 off 22 balls. 

Afghanistan were bowled out for just a paltry 115 in the chase. Mohammad Nabi (27) and Karim Janat (28) were the two top scorers in the innings. Sri Lanka used six bowlers to defend the target all of who got wickets. Hasaranga the skipper picked up 2/19 and in the process went past 100 T20I wickets. 

Sri Lanka now have won five out of the seven T20Is played against Afghanistan and in this series, there was a huge difference in how the two teams played. The Afghans were no match for the dominant Lankan side at home. 

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SL vs AFG Broadcasting Rights in India

Sony Sports Network has the official broadcasting right for the SL vs AFG T20I series in India. Hence, Sony Sports channels and their app will present the match to viewers in India.

SL vs AFG Live Streaming Platform in India

The live streaming of SL vs AFG 2nd T20I will be available on the SonyLiv app and website in India. It is the official OTT platform of Sony Sports in India. However, viewers will need a premium package to watch the match live.

Subscription Plan in India

The subscription for SonyLiv app starts at Rs. 599 for a year. For six months, the cost is Rs. 699. The cost of 1 month is Rs. 299. Sony Network’s sports channels are priced between Rs. 17 to Rs. 23 per month.

Official Broadcaster in India

Star Sports channels will broadcast SL vs AFG 3rd T20I live on television in India. Indian fans can watch the live telecast of the match on the Sony Sports Ten 5 channel.

SL vs AFG 3rd T20I Live Streaming In India– When and Where To Watch Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Live In India? 2024

When will the SL vs AFG 3rd T20I match begin?

The match starts at 7 pm IST on February 21, Wednesday. 

Where will the SL vs AFG 3rd T20I match take place?

The match will be played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla. 

How to Live Telecast the SL vs AFG 3rd T20I match on television?

SL vs AFG live streaming will be available on the Sony Sports Network.

How to Livestream the SL vs AFG 3rd T20I match on mobile Online?

SL vs AFG Live Streaming will be available on the Sony LIV App. Users will need to have a premium or monthly subscription play to enjoy the live-streaming of the series.

Conclusion 

The SL vs AFG first T20I was a close game with Sri Lanka managing to win by just four runs. Afghanistan were rolled over by Sri Lanka in the second T20I who will now aim for a clean sweep in the third T20I. If that happens, Afghanistan will remain winless in the series. 

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Wanindu Hasaranga-led Sri Lanka leads the SL vs AFG series 1-0. They won the opening match by 4 runs. Hence, they eye a victory in the 2nd T20I to drive the series in their favor. Earlier, Sri Lanka bagged a clean sweep in the ODI series 3-0 and will aim for a similar show against Afghanistan in the T20I series.

Ibrahim Zadran-led Afghanistan have completely lost the plot in the Sri Lanka tour of Afghanistan 2024. The visitors lost the one-off Test by 10 wickets at the start. In the ODI series, they faced defeats by huge margins in all three encounters.

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However, the Afghan side came up with a better show in the SL vs AFG 1st T20I, where they lost by just 4 runs. They also dominated Sri Lanka while bowling and demolished them at 160 all-out in 19 overs. Hence, the SL vs AFG 2nd T20I might allow Afghanistan to dominate the hosts.

However, they need to pull up their socks in batting this time. Ibrahim Zadran was the only batter to come up with a good show in the last match. The Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan 2nd T20I will also be live telecast in India. Below are SL vs AFG live streaming and live telecast details in India.

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SL vs AFG Broadcasting Rights in India

Sony Sports Network has the official broadcasting right for the SL vs AFG T20I series in India. Hence, Sony Sports channels and their app will present the match to viewers in India.

SL vs AFG Live Streaming Platform in India

The live streaming of SL vs AFG 2nd T20I will be available on the SonyLiv app and website in India. It is the official OTT platform of Sony Sports in India. However, viewers will need a premium package to watch the match live.

Also Read: Revealed: Why Sri Lanka players are wearing black armbands in 3rd ODI against Afghanistan

Subscription Plan in India

The subscription for SonyLiv app starts at Rs. 599 for a year. For six months, the cost is Rs. 699. The cost of 1 month is Rs. 299. Sony Network’s sports channels are priced between Rs. 17 to Rs. 23 per month.

Different cable networks have different prices for Sony channels. The Sony channels combination package starts at Rs. 122 per month. Android TV users can watch the matches on television through the SonyLiv app.

Also Read: Mohammad Nabi displaces Shakib Al Hasan to become No.1 ranked ODI all-rounder

Official Broadcaster in India

Star Sports channels will broadcast SL vs AFG 2nd T20I live on television in India. Indian fans can watch the live telecast of the match on the Sony Sports Ten 5 channel.

Conclusion

The Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan T20I series witnessed a nail-biting first encounter when Afghanistan lost by a close margin. Hence, the 2nd T20I is expected to be a thrilling one. Many Indian fans also support the Afghanistan team and like to watch their games.

Many Indian viewers also have subscriptions to Sony channels and SonyLiv as it also telecasts many popular TV shows. Hence, they can watch the match live without a new subscription.

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Led by Wanindu Hasaranga in the SL vs AFG T20I series, the hosts won the opening game by 4 runs. However, it was a close-fought encounter where Sri Lanka won the match in the final over. They completely failed to come up with a good show while batting. Afghanistan bundled out Sri Lanka for just 160 runs in 19 overs.

For Sri Lanka, key batters like Pathum Nissanka (10), Kusal Mendis (10), and Charith Asalanka (3) got out cheaply in 1st innings. At one stage, Sri Lanka railed at 55-4. However, skipper Wanindu Hasarange showed his prowess with the bat to slam 67 runs. As a result, the home team reached a respectable total of 160-10.

Also Read: Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2024 to commence after T20 World Cup, SLC announces dates

While Afghanistan showed a memorable bowling show in SL vs AFG 1st T20I, they failed to fire with the bat. Opener and skipper Ibrahim Zadran was the only batter to come up with a good knock of 67 runs. Other batters failed to cross the 20-run mark.

Afghanistan lost 9 wickets towards the end but Zadran kept winning hopes alive. He remained not out till the end after starting as an opener. However, despite being unbeaten, he could not drive the team to victory in the final over when the team needed only 11 runs for victory.

Also Read: Revealed: Why Sri Lanka players are wearing black armbands in 3rd ODI against Afghanistan

ILT20 2024 Final Weather Report

SL vs AFG weather report, according to weather.com, suggests that the temperature of Dambulla City on Monday, February 19 will be 33° Celcius during the day and fall to 23° Celcius at night. The sky will be clear throughout the day and night. The chances of rain are 2% during the day and 4% at night. The humidity will be 54% during the day and rise to 93% at night.

Pitch Analysis

Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium looks like an average-scoring ground in T20Is. The average 1st innings total is 140 while the average 2nd innings is 132. The stadium has hosted 4 T20Is out of which, the team batting first won 2 games while the team batting second won 2 matches.

The highest-ever total at the stadium stands at 160, which Sri Lanka piled up in the previous encounter against Afghanistan. Hence, the SL vs AFG 2nd T20I is also expected to witness totals between 150-170.

Also Read: Mohammad Nabi displaces Shakib Al Hasan to become No.1 ranked ODI all-rounder

Weather Impact on SL vs AFG 2nd T20I

The weather in Dambulla City will be sunny and there is just a 2-4 % chance of rain throughout the day. Hence, rains will not affect SL vs AFG 2nd T20I. The humidity will be high at 93% at night.

The temperature will be high at 33° Celcius during the day but will cool down to 23° Celcius at night. Since the Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan 2nd T20I takes place at night, players will have respite from the warm temperature.

Also Read: Sunil Gavaskar labels Rahmanullah Gurbaz as “slight copy of MS Dhoni”

Conclusion

Sri Lanka is close to India and shares a similar season pattern. The rainy season commences in June after the arrival of the Monsoon. Hence, there is no chance of rain now. Hence, the SL vs AFG 2nd T20I match will not be affected by rain and DLS will not come into effect.

Although Sri Lanka pitches are considered spin-friendly, the opening T20I game witnessed pacers stealing the stage. After the opening game, the pitch might turn slow in the 2nd encounter. Afghan players also hail from the Asian sub-continent. Hence, they are acquainted with the weather conditions in Sri Lanka.

The post SL vs AFG Weather Report Live Today And Pitch Report Of Dambulla International Stadium, 2nd T20I, 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

The SL vs AFG 2nd T20I will also take place at the same venue Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla. Sri Lanka won the 1st T20I by 4 runs in a thrilling clash. Batting first, the hosts were bowled out for 160 in the 1st innings.

Wanindu Hasaranga (67) slammed a half-century after top top-order batter failed to go big. Later, they bounced back with a brilliant bowling show. Afghan skipper Ibrahim Zadran smacked an unbeaten 67 runs.

However, he could not drive the team to victory. Pacer Matheesha Pathirana clinched a 4-wicket haul to demolish Afghan batters. In the end, Binura Fernando defended 11 runs in the final over to propel Sri Lanka to a fascinating victory.

Also Read: Bangladesh squads for Sri Lanka white-ball series announced; Mahmudullah returns to T20I set-up

SL vs AFG Head-to-Head Records In T20Is- 2nd T20I, 2024

SL vs AFG: Key Statistics

Sri Lanka has a good record against Afghanistan in the shortest format. If we glance at SL vs AFG head-to-head records in T20Is, both teams have played 6 games. Sri Lanka has won 4 matches while Afghanistan has won 2 games.

Both teams have only played 1 game in Sri Lanka- the previous T20I game. Afghanistan defeated Sri Lanka in the Asian Games 2023 last year. However, both teams had second-string squads in the tournament.

Also Read: Revealed: Why Sri Lanka players are wearing black armbands in 3rd ODI against Afghanistan

SL vs AFG: Recent 5 Encounters

If we talk about the recent five SL vs AFG encounters in T20Is, Sri Lanka has won 3 games and lost 2. Sri Lanka lost a match in the Asian Games 2023 last year. Their other defeat against Afghanistan arrived in 2022 when they lost in the Asia Cup 2022. These two encounters are the only instances when Afghanistan stunned Sri Lanka in T20Is.

Also Read: Afghanistan squad for Sri Lanka T20Is announced, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman ruled out

Key moments and stand-out performances

Rahmanullah Gurbaz once shattered 84 runs in the Asia Cup 2022 clash against Sri Lanka. Ibrahim Zadran also slammed an unbeaten 67 runs in the previous match. Former batter Asghar Afghan stormed a 62-run knock in March 2016 to drive Afghanistan to victory against Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup 2016.

Former Sri Lanka player Tillakratne Dilshan slammed an unbeaten 83 runs against Afghanistan in 2016, which is still the highest-ever knock by a Sri Lanka batter against Afghanistan. Wanindu Hasaranga slammed an unbeaten 67 runs in the previous SL vs AFG T20I. Nuwan Thusara picked a 4-wicket haul against Afghanistan during the Asian Games 2023.

Matheesha Pathirana hunted 4 wickets in the last SL vs AFG T20I encounter. Hasaranga grabbed 3 wickets in a T20I game in November 2022. Fazalhaq Farroqi grabbed 3 wickets in the last match. All these are among the top performances during SL vs AFG clashes in T20Is.

Also Read: Sunil Gavaskar labels Rahmanullah Gurbaz as “slight copy of MS Dhoni”

Trends and Patterns

In the first few encounters between both sides since 2016, Sri Lanka managed to outplay Afghanistan by huge margins. The only exception was the Asia Cup 2022 encounter when Afghanistan won by 8 wickets.

However, the recent two matches were close-fought encounters. For instance, Sri Lanka won the previous T20I by 4 runs while Afghanistan won the prior clash by 8 runs. Hence, Sri Lanka has found it hard to outplay Afghanistan with ease in recent times.

The post SL vs AFG Head to Head Records In T20Is- 2nd T20I, 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Wanindu Hasaranga leads Sri Lanka in the SL vs AFG T20I series. Ibrahim Zadran is the captain of Afghanistan in the series. The SL vs AFG T20I series will witness three games. Sri Lanka won the 1st T20I and leads the series 1-0.

Team Analysis

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has been inevitable in the ongoing campaign against Afghanistan. They won the Only Test and also the three-match ODI series. They also crushed the visitors in the 1st T20I. However, it was a close-fought encounter. Sri Lanka is a very powerful side on their home soil.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan has executed an astonishing performance in the ongoing tour against Sri Lanka. However, they have not managed to win any games after 5 games in the tour. Afghanistan is a powerful side in the shortest format. They failed to crush the hosts in the ODIs and Test but have the might to outplay them in the SL vs AFG T20Is.

Also Read: Bangladesh squads for Sri Lanka white-ball series announced; Mahmudullah returns to T20I set-up

Key Factors

Pitch Conditions

Dambulla International Stadium has hosted 4 T20Is so far and the top team total at the stadium was 160. Hence, the stadium looks like an average-scoring ground. In the SL vs AFG 1st T20I, pacers from both teams enjoy massive success.

Afghan pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi got 3 wickets while Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai hunted 2 wickets each. Sri Lanka speedster Matheesha Pathirana grabbed a 4-wicket haul in Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan 1st T20I. Hence, it looks like Dambulla International Stadium offers some assistance to pacers.

Also Read: Mohammad Nabi displaces Shakib Al Hasan to become No.1 ranked ODI all-rounder

Form and fitness

Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, and Sadeera Samarawickrama are three Sri Lanka batters who own stunning form. They showed a magnificent batting show in the ODI series.  While Wanindu Hasaranage delivered a decent show in the ODIs series, Pathirana was fabulous in the SL vs AFG 1st T20I.

Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, and Rahmat Shah delivered a good show with the bat for Afghanistan in the SL vs AFG ODIs. Afghan bowlers failed to showcase a good bowling show in the ODI series. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Azmatullah Omarzai showed good form in the T20Is.

Also Read: Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2024 to commence after T20 World Cup, SLC announces dates

Tactical Acumen

For Sri Lanka, their strength is the home advantage. Sri Lanka is a very strong side at home, who have also defeated teams like India and Australia in series at home during the last few years. On the other hand, Afghanistan‘s might is their teamwork. Also, Afghanistan have a lot of all-rounders and hence, they have more members who can contribute with both bat and ball.

SL vs AFG Today Match Prediction- 2nd T20I, Who Will Win Today T20I Match? 2024

Score Prediction

Players to perform prediction

Sri Lanka- Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, and Kusal Mendis have shown a superb batting form. They are likely to come up with another good show in the next T20I. Matheesha Pathirana and Wanindu Hasaranga impressed with their bowling recently.

Afghanistan- Ibrahim Zadran gave a superb show with the bat in the opening T20I game. Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi showed good form in the ODI series. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen Ul Haq were impressive in Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I.

Also Read: Afghanistan squad for Sri Lanka T20Is announced, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman ruled out

Best Batsman

Who will score the most runs for Sri Lanka in the match: Pathum Nissanka or Kusal Mendis

Who will score the most runs for Afghanistan in the match: Ibrahim Zadran or Azmatullah Omarzai

Best Bowler

Who will pick the most wickets for Sri Lanka in the match: Wanindu Hasaranga or Matheesha Pathirana

Who will pick the most wickets for Afghanistan in the match: Fazalhaq Farooqi or Naveen Ul Haq

Who will win the Match?

Sri Lanka is a slightly better team than Afghanistan and has more chances to win the SL vs AFG 2nd T20I. In the previous game, their top-order batters failed to score good knocks. Still, Sri Lanka managed to defend their target. In the 2nd T20I, their batters are likely to come up with a better show and hence, they might post a better total against the visitors.

Conclusion

SL vs AFG is a very crucial match for both teams. While Sri Lanka can win the series if they win the match, Afghanistan needs a victory to remain active in the three-match series. The SL vs AFG 2nd T20I is also likely to be a thrilling match like the 1st T20I.

Afghanistan will strike hard in the 2nd game while Sri Lanka will look for a better batting show than in the last game. Afghanistan has a powerful bowling unit. This might help them to outplay the hosts. However, Sri Lankan players are quite powerful at their home.

The post SL vs AFG Today Match Prediction- 2nd T20I, Who Will Win Today T20I Match? 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Sri Lanka are placed eighth in the T20I rankings heading into this series. Afghanistan, on the other hand, are placed tenth. The Lankans who had a forgetful ODI World Cup campaign need to take this series as a dress rehearsal for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Sri Lanka defeated Afghanistan by big margins in the three-match ODI series. They won the first ODI by 42 runs, the second by 155 runs, and the third by seven wickets. Pathum Nissanka scored 346 runs in the ODI series including a double century in the first ODI and a century in the third.

Also Read: SL vs AFG Weather Report Live Today And Pitch Report Of Dambulla Stadium – 1st T20I, 2024

The ODI series win should have boosted the confidence of the players who had a forgetful ODI campaign. This T20I series is expected to be a more competitive series. Sri Lanka lost to Afghanistan when they last met in the 50-over World Cup. They were also pushed to the brink in the recently concluded ODI and T20I series against Zimbabwe.

Wanindu Hasaranga will lead the side. He will be pairing up with his spinning partner Maheesh Theekshan. Sri Lanka will have plenty of exciting players to choose from for the first T20I. In this article, we predict the team’s playing XI for the first T20I.

Sri Lanka Playing 11 vs Afghanistan, 1st T20I, 2024

Pathum Nissanka

Nissanka will open the batting. He is fresh off an ODI series with 346 runs from three matches at an average of 173.00. He will be eager to make an impact to remain in contention for T20 World Cup selection.

Kusal Perera (WK)

Perera will open the batting for the Lankans. He is a specialist T20 batter in the side. He plays across different T20 leagues earning his reputation as a big-hitter. He bats with a strike rate of close to 140 in the format.

Kusal Mendis

Mendis is the ODI skipper. He is likely to bat at three. He is more of an ODI and Test match batter and will need to adjust his game to the T20I format. He is approaching 1500 runs in the format.

Charith Asalanka

Charith Asalanka will bat at four. He also bats with a high strike rate in the format and scores runs quickly. He can bat anywhere in the top and middle order and does the job for the team. He also bowls off-spin if required.

Angelo Mathews

Mathews is a part of the T20I squad. He scored a century in the one-off Test and scored but could not too many runs in the ODI series. The veteran should be picked for the first T20I. He played in the T20I series against Zimbabwe.

Dasun Shanaka

Dasun Shanaka can slot in at six. In Mathews and Shanaka, Sri Lanka have two of the most experienced batters in the middle order. Shanaka stepped down as captain after the World Cup but can still make an impact in T20I cricket.

Wanindu Hasaranga (C)

Hasaranga will slot in at seven. He is a decent batter in the lower order and one of Sri Lanka’s strike bowlers in the format. He is two shy of 100 T20I wickets. The leggie was chosen as Sri Lanka’s new T20I skipper.

Maheesh Theekshana

Theekshana can bat at eight. He will pair up with Hasaranga as the spin twin from the other end. The off-break bowler has picked up 40 wickets from 41 T20Is and last played against Zimbabwe.

Dilshan Madushanka

Madushanka will lead the pace attack. He was a touch expensive in the ODI series leaking runs at an average of 72.50 and picking up just two wickets. The left-arm pacer has picked up just 14 wickets from 13 T20Is.

Matheesha Pathirana

Pathirana should be back for the T20I series. He missed the ODI series as he was playing for the Desert Vipers in the ILT20. It will be interesting to see how the Afghan batters play him with his unusual action.

Binura Fernando

Fernando concludes the likely playing XI for Sri Lanka. He was called up by the board for this series. The left-arm pacer was in the Asia Cup 2023 squad but did not play a game. He last featured for Sri Lanka in the 2022 T20 World Cup

Also Read: SL vs AFG Match Preview- 1st T20I, 2024

The post Sri Lanka Playing 11 vs Afghanistan, 1st T20I, 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Afghanistan are yet to win a single match on this tour. They lost the one-off Test match and then were whitewashed in the three-match ODI series. They are ranked tenth in the ICC T20I rankings heading into this series.

The visitors now have a chance to make a turnaround in the T20I series with a power-packed side at their disposal. The Afghans have won two out of the five T20Is they played against Sri Lanka so far. They have a chance to add to that tally in this series.

Ibrahim Zadran will continue to lead the side as the stand-in skipper. Afghanistan will be without their talismanic spinner Rashid Khan who is their full-time T20I skipper. Rashid is still recovering from his lower back surgery that he underwent after the World Cup.

Despite his absence, Afghanistan have enough depth in their bowling department to challenge Sri Lanka in their own backyard. This is an opportunity for the likes of Qais Ahmad and Noor Ahmad to step up and perform for the nation.

Also Read: SL vs AFG Weather Report Live Today And Pitch Report Of Dambulla Stadium – 1st T20I, 2024

Afghanistan Playing 11 vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I, 2024

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK)

Gurbaz will open the batting for Afghanistan. he scored just 57 runs at an average of 19 in the ODI series. He will need to have a big series if Afghanistan are to beat Sri Lanka.

Ibrahim Zadran

Ibrahim Zadran will open the batting with Gurbaz. The two have been key to Afghanistan’s T20I success and will need to build on that. Zadran scored 71 runs in the ODI series.

Azmatullah Omarzai

Omarzaio had a good ODI series as he scored 206 runs and ended up as the second-highest run-getter in the series. That is he is an all-rounder makes him even more special as a player. He will bat at three.

Najibullah Zadran

The southpaw will slot in at four. He is a very good batter and has already played 100 T20IS for Afghanistan. He is inching closer to 1800 T20I runs. He is five short of 100 T20I sixes.

Gulbadin Naib

Naib can slot in at five. He is another all-rounder in the XI. He has already played 62 T20Is scoring 782 runs and picking up 26 wickets in the format. Naib played his last T20I against India in January 2024.

Mohammad Nabi

The veteran all-rounder will slot in at six. He scored his second ODI ton in the first ODI against Sri Lanka. He has scored 1945 runs and picked up 88 wickets in 114 T20Is.

Karim Janat

Janat is another bowling all-rounder who can bat at seven. He has scored 546 runs and picked up 41 wickets in 56 T20Is. He played his last T20I against India in Bengaluru in January 2024.

Fazalhaq Farooqi

Farooqi will lead the pace attack. He has picked 31 wickets in 29 T20Is for his national side. He did play the ODI series and picked up just one wicket. He will look to have a better performance in the T20I series.

Naveen-ul-Haq

Naveen will be the second seamer in the playing XI. He last played in the T20I series against India. He has already retired from ODI cricket after the ICC World Cup 2023 and is now a specialist T20 bowler.

Noor Ahmad

In the absence of Rashid Khan, Noor is the senior bowler in the side. He recently played for the Durban Super Giants in the SA20. He last played in the T20I series against India.

Qais Ahmad

Qais concludes the likely playing XI for Afghanistan. He has played two Test matches, three ODIs and nine T20Is the last of which was against India.

Also Read: SL vs AFG Live Streaming In India– 1st T20I, When and Where To Watch Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Live In India? 2024

The post Afghanistan Playing 11 vs Sri Lanka, 1st T20I, 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Date and Venue

The SL vs AFG first T20I will be played in Dambulla on Saturday, February 17. The match starts at 7 pm IST. All three matches will be played in Dambulla with the second T20I on February 19 and the third on February 21.

Team Analysis- SL vs AFG Match Preview- 1st T20I, 2024

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka are heading into this series after beating Afghanistan handsomely in the Test and ODI series. They won the one-off Test by 10 wickets and earned biog victories in the three ODIs. Sri Lanka won the first ODI by 42 runs, second by 155 runs, and third by seven wickets. 

Wanindu Hasaranga will lead the Lankans in the T20I series. He won his first series as T20I captain against ZImbabwe but not before the African nation tested them to the limits. Against Afghanistan, they will look to have a more dominant performance.

Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana are placed second and third in the ICC T20I bowlers rankings. Both will have a big role to play against Afghanistan. Alongside Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka will have a big role to play with the bat. Nissanka scored 346 runs in the three-match ODI series and will look to continue his form going. 

Sri Lanka Squad 

Wanindu Hasaranga (C), Charith Asalanka (VC), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya De Silva, Kusal Perera, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando

Afghanistan 

Afghanistan are yet to win a single match in this series so far. Their performance has continuously fallen with every defeat. In five SL vs AFG T20Is, Afghanistan have won two and lost three.

One big absence from the team is Rashid Khan who is still recovering from his lower-back surgery that is keeping him away from the game since the ODI World Cup last year. Afghanistan won four games in the last World Cup including the game against Sri Lanka. 

Ibrahim Zadran will continue to be the stand-in skipper for the side. He will have a role with the bat. Alongside him, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Mohammad Nabi will have a key role to play with the ball. With the ball, in the absence of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Noor Ahmad will be the key bowlers for Afghanistan.

Also Read: SL vs AFG Live Streaming In India– 1st T20I, When and Where To Watch Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Live In India? 2024

Key Battles

Rahmanullah Gurbaz vs Wanindu Hasaranga 

The Gurbaz vs Hasaranga is one of the most important battles in the SL vs AFG T20I. So far the leggie has dismissed the Afghan keeper-batter once each in ODIs and T20Is. He has dismissed Gurbaz one each in ODIs and T20Is as well. Given that Gurbaz needs to score quick runs for his team, the hosts will look to dismiss him early and Hasaranga will be the ideal match-up against him. 

Pathum Nissanka vs Mujeeb Ur Rahman 

Another important battle will be between Nissanka and Mujeeb. The Lankan batter is in red-hot form and the Afghanistnspinner in the absence of Rashid Khan will be the prime wicket-taking option. Mujeeb has dismissed Nissanka twice in T20Is so far and this face-off will be an interesting contest as well. 

Key Players 

For Afghanistan, Gurbaz and Ibrahim are the key players with the bat. The Afghan batters have let themselves down in the ODI series and hence need to up their game in the T20I series. They will need to give enough runs to their bowlers to win the contest. 

With the ball, the spin twins, Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb Ur Rahman are the key bowlers. Both teams will employ the spin to win formulae to win the game and the Afghans have their key weapons ready. 

For Sri Lanka, Pthum Nissanka given his recent form will be key player with the bat. Charith Asalanka is the other as he can score quick runs in the final overs. Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana are the two key bowlers from Sri Lanka for this game. 

Weather and Pitch

The weather prediction for the first SL vs AFG T20I is not a good one. There is a forecast of rain in Dambulla and the match is almost sure to be affected by rain. The temperature in the daytime will be around 30 degrees with almost a 25 percent chance of rain. The chance of rain drops to almost five percent in the evening but the match might have a delayed start due to wet outfield conditions. 

The venue has hosted just three T20I games with two matches won by the team chasing. Hence this is a clear indication that a team chasing has a better chance of winning. The average first innings score is close to 150. With the batting firepower on both sides, we can expect a high-scoring contest. 

Conclusion

The SL vs AFG T20I series hopefully dishes out a closely fought series after Afghanistan were whitewashed in the ODI series. The team has a few of the best short-format players and if they play to their potential, we can expect a cracking series. Despite the ODI series loss, Afghanistan can turn things around in the T20I series. 

Also Read: SL vs AFG Head-to-Head Records in T20Is- 1st T20I, 2024

The post SL vs AFG Match Preview- 1st T20I, 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Pathum Nissanka headlined the ODI series, scoring 346 runs in the series with a double-century and a century. He scored a double century in the first ODI followed by a century in the third.

Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi scored centuries in the first ODI and then Afghanistan’s batting dipped well below par. The openers Rahmaullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran could not make the most of the good batting conditions in Sri Lanka.

They scored 339/6 in the first ODI in response to Sri Lanka’s 381. They were bowled out for 153 in the second ODI and their score of 266 was not enough in the third ODI. 

The format now changes as the SL vs AFG series continues as does the leadership for Sri Lanka. Ibrahim Zadran will continue to be the stand-in captain for Afghanistan while Wanindu Hasaranga will lead Sri Lanka in the T20I series. He won his first T20I series against Zimbabwe as captain recently. 

After a fairly one-sided Test match, the ODI series was expected to be closely fought. However, Sri Lanka were well and truly the superior team. The Afghans now have a chance to hit them back in the T20I series.

Afghanistan won four matches in the ICC World Cup 2023. One of their wins came against Sri Lanka. Their performance in the World Cup also guaranteed them their first-ever ICC Champions Trophy qualification next year in Pakistan. 

Sri Lanka will be led by Hasaranga as said earlier. He has been playing a lot of T20I cricket in the recent past. He played for the Desert Vipers in the ILT20 and has continued the good bowling form. He took a seven-wicket haul in the third ODI against Zimbabwe and took four in the two ODI games that he played against the Afghans.

Also Read: Iceland Cricket brutally trolls Haris Rauf following his central contract termination

After the ODI World Cup, Sri Lanka hosted a three-match ODI and T2-0I series against Zimbabwe. The hosts were pushed to the brink by the visitors as they won the series 2-0. The T20I series was also closely fought which they won 2-0 as well. 

Afghanistan played their last ODI match in the World Cup where they finished sixth on the table with four wins in nine matches. They next played a T20I series against India, losing 3-0. However, they gained a rich experience of playing against India in India. 

Official Broadcaster & Subscription Plan

The broadcast rights for the SL vs AFG series in India are with the Sony Sports Network. They broadcasted the Test and the ODI series before this T20I series as well.

The SL vs AFG live streaming will be available on the Sony LIV app in India. People will need to have a premium or monthly subscription play to enjoy the live-streaming of the series. The Rs 299 Sony LIV Premium plan will allow users to watch live sports, TV channels, Sony LIV original TV shows and movies, and Hollywood movies.

SL vs AFG Live Streaming In India– 1st T20I, When and Where To Watch Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Live In India? 2024

When will the SL vs AFG 1st T20I match begin?

The match starts at 7 pm IST on February 17, Saturday.

Where will the SL vs AFG 1st T20I match take place?

The match will be played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla.

How to Live Telecast the SL vs AFG 1st T20I match on television?

SL vs AFG live streaming will be available on the Sony Sports Network.

How to Livestream the SL vs AFG 1st T20I match on mobile Online?

SL vs AFG Live Streaming will be available on the Sony LIV App. Users will need to have a premium or monthly subscription play to enjoy the live-streaming of the series.

Conclusion

Sony LIV has been showing Indian fans to watch live sports on premium subscriptions of non-India matches in recent times alongside Fan Code. The SL vs AFG is also available on the platform with minimal recharge plans. The plans are available on monthly and yearly plans as well.

Also Read: Ishan Kishan in another controversy, likes Instagram post calling Mohammad Kaif ‘besharam’

The post SL vs AFG Live Streaming In India– 1st T20I, When and Where To Watch Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Live In India? 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Afghanistan are yet to win a match in the series so far. They lost the one-off test by 10 wickets. They were humbled by Sri Lanka in the ODI series as they registered big victories. Sri Lanka won the first ODI by 42 runs, the second by 155 runs, and the third by seven wickets.

Sri Lanka will be led by Wanindu Hasaranga in the series. He was named the new T20I skipper for Sri Lanka after the ODI World Cup. The SLC decided to change the leadership responsibilities choosing three different captains for different formats.

Hasaranga was chosen as the T20I skipper. He won his first series as captain against Zimbabwe. Kusal Mendis was named the new ODI skipper and Dhananjaya de Silva the new T20I skipper.

Also Read: Ravi Shastri makes hilarious remarks on Ravindra Jadeja’s average in Rajkot, comparing to Sir Don Bradman

Ibrahim Zadran will continue to lead Afghanistan as the stand-in skipper. Regular T20I skipper Rashid Khan is still recovering from his lower back surgery. Zadran and his fellow opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz will be the key batters for the Afghans with Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmead the key bowlers in the series.

Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have played 15 ODIs with Afghanistan winning four and Sri Lanka 10. In five T20Is, the Lankans have won three while the Afghans have two. Sri Lanka won the one-off Test to start the series.

The Lankans have been a bit vulnerable at home against Sri Lanka. Afghanistan with an in-form bowling unit with a lot of T20I cricket behind them is expected to exploit the conditions in Dambulla. The Lankans have Theekshana and Hasaranga to counter the Afghan spin challenge as well.

SL vs AFG Weather Report Live Today And Pitch Report Of Dambulla Stadium – 1st T20I, 2024

Weather Report Of Dambulla

The weather forecast for the SL vs AFG first T20I in Dambulla does not look good. There is a forecast of rain that is expected to hit Dambulla. The weather during the day will be around the high 30s with scattered showers expected.

The weather forecast at night will be around 23 degrees with partly cloudy skies. The first T20I starts at 7 pm IST. There is almost a 20 percent chance of rain in the evening.

Pitch Analysis

So far three T20Is have been played in Dambulla with the average first innings score close to 130 and the average second innings total close to 120.

However, given the kind of batters on both sides and the form some of the batters are in at the moment the SL vs AFG first T20I is expected to be a high-scoring contest. With dew likely to play a role any score between 160-180 might give us a close contest.

Weather Impact

As per reports, there are predictions of rain and cloudy skies for the better part of the next week. The SL vs AFG T20Is will be played on February 17, 19 and 21. It is very much possible that all three matches might be interrupted by rain. Given the weather predictions, the first T0I might even be a washout if it rains throughout the day making the drainage difficult.

Conclusion

Afghanistan after losing the Test and the ODI series has a chance to bounce back in this T20I series. They have the players to challenge Sri Lanka in their backyard. However, the absence of Rashid Khan will be a deciding factor for the visitors in this T20I series.

Also Read: Kane Williamson only behind Don Bradman in elite list after powering New Zealand to thumping win over South Africa

The post SL vs AFG Weather Report Live Today And Pitch Report Of Dambulla Stadium – 1st T20I, 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Afghanistan are yet to win a single match in this series so far. They lost the one-off Test and were whitewashed in the ODI series. They are now looking to make a comeback in the T20I series.

The side will be led by Ibrahim Zadran who led them in the ODI series against Sri Lanka as well. Rashid Khan continues to miss games for the national team. He is still recovering after his lower back surgery. 

The batting looks the stronger suit of the visitors in the absence of Rashid Khan. There will be added pressure on the likes of Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad to deliver in the absence of Rashid Khan. Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Mohammad Nabi are the likely key batters for Afghanistan in the first SL vs AFG T20I. 

Also Read: James Anderson to retire after India Tests? Pacer comes up with a shocking update amidst the Test series

Sri Lanka will be led by Wanindu Hasaranga in the T20I series. He won his first series as captain against Zimbabwe 2-1. Though the Lankans won the series, they were tested to the limit by the African nation.

Sri Lanka have thoroughly dominated Afghanistan in the series so far winning the one-off Test by 10 wickets. Sri Lanka won the first ODI by 42 runs, second by 155 runs, and third by seven wickets. Pathum Nissanka scored 346 runs in the three-match series scoring a double century in the first ODI and a century in the third. 

SL vs AFG: Players To Perform Prediction

PathumNissanka will be the key batter for Sri Lanka based on his current form in this series. The other key batter might be Kusal Mendis who boasts a strike rate of 140 in the first. Another key batter might be Kusal Perera who scores at over 130 in the format as well. The key bowlers for Sri Lanka in this series will be their spin twins Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana.

Eyes will be on how Hasaranga will lead the side and use himself as a strike bowler in the series. For Afghanistan, as said earlier, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are the key players with the bat. With the ball, Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb Ur Rahman are expected to make an impact given the pitch will aid spin.

SL vs AFG: Scores Prediction

Recent Venue Records (Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla)

STATS – T20

Total matches 3

Matches won batting first 1

Matches won bowling first 2

Average 1st Inns scores 133

Average 2nd Inns scores 124

Highest total recorded 141/3 (17 Ov) by SLW vs INDW

Highest score chased 141/3 (17 Ov) by SLW vs INDW

Lowest score defended 138/6 (20 Ov) by INDW vs SLW

Who Will Score Most Runs For Sri Lanka: Kusal Mendis / Pathum Nissanka

Who Will Take Most Wickets For Sri Lanka: Wanindu Hasaranga / Maheesh Theekshana

Who Will Score Most Runs For Afghanistan: Rahmaullah Gurbaz / Ibrahim Zadran 

Who Will Take Most Wickets For Afghanistan: Noor Ahmad / Mujeeb Ur Rahman 

SL vs AFG Today Match Prediction- 1st T20I, Who Will Win Today’s T20I Match? 2024

Sri Lanka are ahead by a margin of 3-2 in five T20I games between the two sides to date. At home in known conditions with a better and experienced bowling attack, Sri Lanka are favorites to win the first T20i.

Also Read: Shreyas Iyer ignores Jay Shah’s rant, hides behind back injury to withdraw from Ranji Trophy

The post SL vs AFG Today Match Prediction- 1st T20I, Who Will Win Today’s T20I Match? 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Afghanistan are yet to win a game in this series so far. They lost the one-off Test match by 10 wickets and then were humbled in the ODI series a swell. Afghanistan lost the first ODI by 82 runs. That was the game when Pathum Nissanka scored his maiden double ton. In the second ODI the Afghans chasing 309 were bowled out for just 155 and in the third Sri Lanka chased down 267 in style with Nissanka scoring 118.

Heading into the T20I series, Afghanistan will continue to miss their star player Rashid Khan. He last played in the ICC World Cup for his side. The Afghanistan T20I captain then underwent a lower back surgery in the UK and has been recovering since then. He also missed the T20I series against India leading into this series.

Sri Lanka will be led by Wanindu Hasaranga in the T20I series. He was named the new T20I skipper after SLC overhauled their administration and leadership charges following their disappointing World Cup campaign. Kusal Mendis was named the ODI skipper and Dhahnanjaya de Silva the Test skipper.

Talking about SL vs AFG head-to-head, Sri Lanka won the only Test they played against Afghanistan. Following Afghanistan’s clean sweep against Sri Lanka in the recent ODI series, the head-to-head count is 4-10 in 15 ODI matches. In five T20Is between the two sides, Afghanistan have won two and lost three.

The two teams are yet to play 10 T20Is between themselves. They have played five T20Is so far and another three in this series will take the count to eight. Afghanistan have a chance to make a comeback in the series.

Sri Lanka after enduring a lopsided performance in the World Cup had their leadership changed across formats. Kusal Mendis was named the ODI captain, Hasaranga the Test captain and Dhananjaya de Silva the Test captain. Sri Lanka played an ODI series against Zimbabwe recently and was pushed to the brink. They won the T20I series 2-1 but Zimbabwe tested them to the limits.

Also Read: “Ravindra Jadeja played more traditionally than Rohit Sharma and Sarfaraz Khan..”- Michael Vaughan

Afghanistan lost to India in the previous T20I series they played. They were led by Ibrahim Zadran in that series who will lead them against Sri Lanka as well. Rashid Khan’s absence is a big miss for the Afghan team who will be missing a key match-up against the Lankan batters. Hasaranga with 98 T20I wickets is another key match-up against the Afghan batters. His fellow spinner Maheesh Theekshana is another key player for the Lankans.

Afghanistan needs their openers Rahmaullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran to score runs. Mohammad Nabi becomes a key figure in the middle-order and Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad the key boilers for Afghanistan.

SL vs AFG Head To Head Records (Overall Stats)

SL vs AFG Head To Head Records In Tests

SL vs AFG Head To Head Records In ODIs

SL vs AFG Head To Head Records In T20Is

SL vs AFG Head-to-Head Records in T20Is- 1st T20I, 2024

Matches Played: 5

Afghanistan Won-2

Sri Lanka Won-3 

Most Runs For Sri Lanka- Bhanuka Rajapaksa- 87

Most Wickets For Sri Lanka- Wanindu Hasaranga-4

Most Runs For Afghanistan- Rahmanullah Gurbaz-152

Most Wickets For Afghanistan- Mujeeb Ur Rahman-6

Also Read: Former Indian cricketer in awe of Sarfaraz Khan after his debut in Test cricket at Rajkot

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Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first. They were off the flying start as Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran added 39 runs just inside the 5 overs. But their partnership ended in a disappointing way as the latter got run out for 13 runs. The keeper-batter continued batting but perished for 48 runs. 

Rahmat Shah played a vital hand for the team and slammed a magnificent half-century. He scored 65 runs off 77 balls and added a vital partnership with Azmatullah Omarzai. The latter slammed 54 runs off 59 balls that brought Afghanistan back into the game after losing wickets quickly. 

The duo added 58 runs together before Rahmat Shah perished. Ikram Alikhil (32) played a vital hand for the team as well. He along with Azmatullah Omarzai added 57 runs together. However, after their wicket, Afghanistan lost wickets quickly and were under pressure. 

Mohammad Nabi (14), and Qais Ahmad (11) made vital contributions that made sure Afghanistan went past the 250-run mark. The visitors were bundled out for just 266 runs. With the kind of start they had, it seemed that they would post something over 300 but Sri Lanka pulled back things pretty well. 

For Sri Lanka, Pramod Madushan was the pick of the bowlers. He returned with the figures of 3/45. Ashita Fernando, Dunith Wellalage, and Akila Dananjaya picked two wickets each and restricted the opposition to a low total inside 49 overs. 

SL vs AFG Scorecard, 3rd ODI Highlights: Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando help Sri Lanka crush Afghanistan

Sri Lanka were off the a flying start in the chase as the duo of Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando took the team off the brutal start. The opening batters didn’t put a foot wrong and made opposition bowlers look clueless with their sensational batting. 

Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando added 173 runs for the opening partnership before the latter got out for 91 runs. After that skipper Kusal Mendis came in and played a vital hand. He ended with an innings of 40 runs off just 29 balls that helped Sri Lanka put one foot past the finishing line. 

Pathum Nissanka on the other hand notched up a magnificent century and made sure his team got close to the win. The opening batter played an innings of 118 runs off 101 runs that outshined the opposition and put them under pressure. 

Charith Asalanka (7*) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (13*) in the end made sure that Sri Lanka didn’t lose any more wickers. The hosts chased the target with 7 wickets in hand and went past the finishing line in just 35.2 overs. They completed a 3-0 whitewash as well. For Afghanistan, Qais Ahmad tried to keep his team in the hunt as he picked two wickets but that wasn’t enough.

Brief scores 

Afghanistan: 266-10 (Rahmat Shah 66; Pramod Madushan 3/45)

Sri Lanka: 267-3 (Pathum Nissanka 118; Qais Ahmad 2/46)

The post SL vs AFG scorecard, 3rd ODI highlights: Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando help Sri Lanka crush Afghanistan by 7 wickets appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Afghanistan won the toss and put Sri Lanka into the bat first. As both the teams came out on the field, one thing caught the attention of many. The hosts’ players were seen wearing black armbands and it made many wonder why the players were wearing it in the last game of the series.

The reason behind that now has finally been revealed. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) released the official statement, saying that players will be wearing black armbands to pay their tribute to former administrator of the board Trevor Rajaratnam, who passed away recently.

Releasing the official statement SLC stated: Sri Lanka players will wear black armbands during today’s game vs. Afghanistan to pay tribute to the late Trevor Rajaratnam, the former SLC Administrator.”

Sri Lanka players will wear black armbands during today's game vs. Afghanistan to pay tribute to the late Trevor Rajaratnam, the former SLC Administrator.
#SLvAFG #SLC #lka pic.twitter.com/ernXJ5kps4

— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) February 14, 2024

Sri Lanka had a decent start with the ball in the ongoing game. Rahmaullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran were going great guns and played some crisp shots. However, brilliance in the field by Avishka Fernando applied breaks on the scoring rate.

Ibrahim Zadran played a drive to the right of the cover-point. Avishaka Fernando dived in and stopped the ball. He quickly gathered the ball and threw down the stumps at the bowler’s end. Ibrahim Zadran was well short of the crease and got out. The run out surely changed the momentum and brought Sri Lanka back into the game.

Sri Lanka have already sealed the series after two tremendous performances in the first two games. They thumped Afghanistan by 42 runs in the first match to start the series on high. If this was not enough they then thumped the opposition by a massive margin of 155 runs to win the second hand.

Sri Lanka now would be eager to win the third game as well and complete the 3-0 whitewash. After the ICC World Cup 2023, they had a tough time after their board was sacked by the ICC  as well. However, they are now back on the track and are putting up great performances.

Sri Lanka and Afghanistan playing 11 for the third ODI of the series

Here is Afghanistan Playing XI for the third ODI of the series:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil(w), Sharafuddin Ashraf, Qais Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik

Here is Sri Lanka Playing XI for the third ODI

Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis(w/c), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Akila Dananjaya, Asitha Fernando, Pramod Madushan, Dilshan Madushanka

After the ongoing ODI series, both Sri Lanka and Afghanistan will be locking horns with each other in the three-match T20I series. Both the teams have named their squad for the series as well.

The series between the two teams will also mark the preparations of both teams for the T20 World Cup 2024.

The post Revealed: Why Sri Lanka players are wearing black armbands in 3rd ODI against Afghanistan appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Shakib Al Hasan held the No.1 spot in the ICC rankings for almost five years. But missing cricket for a while due to injuries along with impressive performances from Mohammad Nabi with both bat and ball in the recent series against Sri Lanka saw him losing his spot at the top.

Mohammad Nabi made substantial gains after he hit a blistering 136 during the series opener. The all-rounder chipped in with the ball as well and picked up a wicket as well. His contribution with the ball saw him moving to seventh place in the latest rankings for ODI bowlers.

Mohammed Nabi has been a vital cog in the wheel for Afghanistan in the ongoing series. The all-rounder was economical with the ball in the second match even though he couldn’t contribute much with the ball for the team. Of late he has been sensational for the team in the ODIs, which has seen him getting rewarded as well.

In the ICC ODI rankings for bowlers, South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj held the top spot whereas Wanindu Hasaranga jumped up 14 spots to 26th position. Star pacer  Dilshan Madushanka also climbed up four places to 33rd position in the ICC ODI rankings for the bowlers updated on Wednesday (14th February).

Apart from Mohammad Nabi, Charith Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka, and Sadeera Samarawickrama make gains in batting

In terms of batting rankings in ODIs, Pakistan’s Babar Azam held the top spot. Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka after his unbeaten 97 in the second match of the series against Afghanistan climbed to the 15th spot. Apart from him, Pathum Nissanka, who hit a double century, climbed up 10 spots to 18th.

Sri Lanka’s premier batter Sadeera Samarawickrama also made substantial gains after his half-century against Afghanistan. The batter moved up to six spots and acquired the 41st spot in the ICC ODI Rankings for the batters.

There were slight changes in the ICC Test rankings for batters. New Zealand’s Kane Williamson increased his lead at the top of the Test rankings. He solidified his spot after his twin centuries against South Africa in the first Test. Whereas in terms of bowling, Jasprit Bumrah holds the top spot.

New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson also made substantial gains in the rankings. He moved six places to eighth overall in an impressive performance in the first Test against South Africa. With the second game ongoing, he is likely to make some more gains in the rankings.

In terms of T20I rankings for batting, Glenn Maxwell moved up to 11 spots and acquired the 24th rank. Tim David moved up 35 places to 27th) and David Warner climbed up 19 spots to 36th. Apart from them, Rovman Powell moved up four spots to 25th) and Johnson Charles climbed up 12 spots to equal 38th.

Adam Zampa moved up five places in the T20I bowling rankings whereas Marcus Stoinis climbed three spots to second on the list for T20I all-rounders.

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Afghanistan has failed to make a mark in the series. They lost both the opening games and have already lost their series. Moreover, Afghanistan also faced batting collapses in both ODI encounters.

Now, the Afghan team might opt for changes in the playing 11 in the final encounter. Below we take a glance at Afghanistan’s predicted playing 11 for SL vs AFG 3rd ODI.

Afghanistan Playing 11 vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI, 2024

Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Rahmanullah Gurbaz might be the opener for Afghanistan in the 3rd ODI as well. The right-handed batter has failed to come up with powerful knocks in both games. He got out for single digits in both matches. However, he is an experienced batter for the team. Gurbaz will aim for a comeback in the next encounter.

Also Read: “After we came back from World Cup…” – Charith Asalanka wants batting-friendly pitches in Sri Lanka

Ibrahim Zadran

Ibrahim Zadran got out cheaply for just 4 runs in Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan 1st ODI. However, he made a comeback by smacking a half-century in the 2nd game. Zadran will aim for a similar batting show in the next match.

Rahmat Shah

Rahmat Shah was another brilliant batter in the previous encounter, who shattered 63 runs off 69 balls. With his 97-run stand with Zadran, he helped the team to get a good start. Rahman Shah will be retained by Afghanistan in the playing 11 after his fabulous batting show in the last encounter.

Hashmatullah Shahidi (C)

Hashmatullah Shahidi is the captain of the team in the AFG vs SL ODI series. He will lead the team in the final match as well. The left-handed batter got out for single digits in both games. He needs to pull up his socks in the final encounter.

Also Read: Sunil Gavaskar labels Rahmanullah Gurbaz as “slight copy of MS Dhoni”

Azmatullah Omarzai

Azmatullah Omarzai got out cheaply for 3 runs in the previous game. However, he shattered a century in the opening match. With his unbeaten 149 runs, he helped the team to evade a miserable defeat. However, they could not win the match. With 3 wickets, the right-arm seamer is also the leading wicket-taker for the team.

Mohammad Nabi

Mohammad Nabi will be an all-rounder for Afghanistan in the final clash against Sri Lanka. The right-handed batter shattered a stunning century in the opening game and set up an impeccable 242-run stand with Omarzai for the 6th wicket. Nabi got out for just 1 run in the last match. He will look to return with a marvellous innings in the next encounter.

Gulbadin Naib

Gulbadin Naib might be a pace all-rounder for Afghanistan in the next match. Naib has largely failed to make an impact in the SL vs AFG ODI series. He failed to get wickets across both games and hit just 16 runs across 2 games. He got out for a duck in the last match. However, he is an experienced member of the squad and will look for a better show in the next match.

Also Read: Pathum Nissanka leaves behind Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle to register historic feat after sensational double century

Ikram Alikhil (WK)

Ikram Alikhil might be the wicketkeeper and a lower-order batter for the team in the next match. Alikhil scored failed to score in the last match by getting out for just 4 runs. However, he scored an unbeaten 10 runs in the opening match. Alikhil is a powerful lower-order batsman with the ability to smash runs down the order.

Noor Ahmad

Noor Ahmad might be a spinner for the team. In the absence of Rashid Khan, Ahmad becomes a powerful addition to the spin department. The left-arm spinner went wicketless in the opening game but got 1 scalp in the last match. He will look to increase his wickets tally in the last match.

Qais Ahmad

Qais Ahmad might be retained as another spinner in the next match against Sri Lanka. The leg spinner picked up 1 wicket in the last match. He replaced Fareed Ahmad in the playing 11 after missing the opening game. Ahmad will aim to grab more wickets in the final match.

Also Read: Record-breaking knock! Twitter reacts as Pathum Nissanka becomes first Sri Lankan to smash ODI double century

Fazalhaq Farooqi

Fazalhaq Farooqi will lead the pace attack for Afghanistan in SL vs AFG 3rd ODI. Farooqi is among the most experienced pacers for the team in the series. The left-arm pacer has only picked 1 wicket across 2 games as Afghan bowlers have completely failed to dominate Sri Lanka batters. However, Afghanistan cannot risk benching an experienced member like Farooqi from the playing 11.

The post Afghanistan Playing 11 vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI, 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

The hosts won the 1st ODI by 42 runs and the 2nd ODI by 155 runs. The home team has dominated visitors in both batting and bowling departments across two games. After winning the series, Sri Lanka might rest some players in their playing 11 in the 3rd ODI. Below we discuss Sri Lanka’s predicted playing 11 vs Afghanistan for 3rd ODI.

Sri Lanka Playing 11 vs Afghanistan, 3rd ODI, 2024

Pathum Nissanka

Pathum Nissanka will be the opener for Sri Lanka in the 3rd ODI too. The right-handed batsman shattered a spectacular double ton in the opening game. However, he got out cheaply for 18 runs in the 2nd game. He will aim for another marvelous knock in the last ODI clash.

Also Read: Afghanistan squad for Sri Lanka T20Is announced, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman ruled out

Shevon Daniel

As Sri Lanka has won the series, Shevon Daniel might get a chance to play as an opener in the next encounter. Avishka Fernando might be rested in the next game. Fernando impressed with his 88 runs in the previous match. Shevon Daniel has only played 1 ODI match so far in which he scored 12 runs.

Kusal Mendis (C & WK)

Kusal Mendis is the captain of Sri Lanka in the SL vs AFG ODI series and will lead the team in the 3rd ODI clash. He will also keep the stumps for the team. Mendis got out cheaply for 16 runs in the first match but slammed a superb half-century in the next match.

Sadeera Samarawickrama

Sadeera Samarawickrama will bat in the middle-order for Sri Lanka in the final encounter as well. He mustered 52 runs in the previous game. In the opening game too, he scored a decent knock of 45 runs. He will aim for another brilliant knock in the next match.

Also Read: “After we came back from World Cup…” – Charith Asalanka wants batting-friendly pitches in Sri Lanka

Charith Asalanka

After his super knock of unbeaten 97 runs in the previous game, Charith Asalanka will get another opportunity in the next match. Asalanka also scored an unbeaten 7 runs in the 1st ODI. With his good batting form, he will aim to finish the series on a high note.

Janith Liyanage

Janith Liyanage slammed a half-century in the last match. He did not get an opportunity to bat in the opening game. Liyanage will look to score another superb knock with the bat in the last clash against Afghanistan.

Wanindu Hasaranga

Wanindu Hasaranga will be a spinner for Sri Lanka in the final encounter. The right-arm spinner went wicketless in the 1st ODI. However, he bounced back in the 2nd ODI, hunting down 4 wickets. Hasaranga will aim for another beautiful spell in the final clash.

Also Read: Sri Lanka squad for Afghanistan T20I series announced, Dushmantha Chameera ruled out

Dunith Wellalage

Spinner Dunith Wellalage might replace Maheesh Theekshana in the SL vs AFG 3rd ODI. Theekshana went wicketless in both games. Hence, Wellalage might get an opportunity to showcase his talent with the spin. He has played 18 ODIs in the past in which he accounts for 21 wickets and 207 runs.

Dilshan Madushanka

Dilshan Madushanka will be one of the pacers for the team in the playing 11 in the 3rd ODI. The left-arm pacer went wicketless in the first game but made a comeback with 2 wickets in the next match. He owns an economy rate of 5.81.

Asitha Fernando

Asitha Fernando will get another opportunity to play for Sri Lanka in the next match. He hunted 2 wickets in the last match. With the ouster of Dushmantha Chameera, the hosts would not risk benching Fernando in the next game.

Also Read: SL vs AFG scorecard, 2nd ODI highlights: SL earn victory as Afghanistan suffer disastrous collapse in Pallekele

Pramod Madushan

Pramod Madushan will lead the pace attack for Sri Lanka in the final ODI encounter against Afghanistan. The right-arm pacer is the leading wicket-taker for the team with 5 wickets. He picked up 1 wicket in the last match and 4 wickets in the opening match. Madushan will look for another wonderful spell in the series.

The post Sri Lanka Playing 11 vs Afghanistan, 3rd ODI, 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Hashmatullah Shahidi leads Afghanistan in the SL vs AFG ODI series. However, he has largely failed to drive the team to success against the hosts. Afghanistan have lost both the opening ODI clashes and have already lost the series before the climax encounter.

Afghanistan bowled first in both games and their bowlers failed to outplay the Sri Lanka batters. In the SL vs AFG opening ODI encounter, Pathum Nissanka shattered an unbeaten double ton to send the Afghan bowlers on the back. With 381 on the board in 1st innings, Sri Lanka won the match by 42 runs.

Also Read: Afghanistan squad for Sri Lanka T20Is announced, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman ruled out

In the 2nd ODI, Sri Lanka opted to bat first and piled up 308-6 in the 1st innings, thanks to their outstanding teamwork. Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, and Janith Liyanage shattered the fifties after openers Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando got out cheaply.

Afghanistan lost opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz cheaply during the chase. However, Ibrahim Zadran (54) and Rahmat Shah (63) offered a stunning start to batting. However, middle-order batters Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, and Ikram Alikhil lost their wickets like a house of cards. They all got out for single digits.

Also Read: “After we came back from World Cup…” – Charith Asalanka wants batting-friendly pitches in Sri Lanka

SL vs AFG Match Preview- 3rd ODI, 2024

Sri Lanka

Kusal Mendis is the captain of Sri Lanka in SL vs AFG ODI series. After two games, Pathum Nissanka is the highest run-getter for the team with 228 runs. Charith Asalanka is next with 104 runs while Sadeera Samarawickrama accounts for 97 runs.

In bowling, Pramod Madushan is the leading wicket-taker for the side with 5 scalps. Wanindu Hasaranga is next with 4 scalps. He went wicketless in the opening game but made a strong comeback with a 4-wicket haul in the previous match. Avishka Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, and Dasun Madushanka have got 2 wickets each.

SL Squad: Kusal Mendis (C & WK), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Asitha Fernando, Pramod Madushan, Shevon Daniel, Chamika Karunaratne, Akila Dananjaya, Sahan Arachchige, Dunith Wellalage.

Also Read: Sri Lanka squad for Afghanistan T20I series announced, Dushmantha Chameera ruled out

Afghanistan

Hashmatullah Shahidi is the skipper of Afghanistan in the SL vs AFG ODI series. Azmatullah Omarzai has mustered the most 152 runs for the team across 2 games. Mohammad Nabi has added 137 runs. They also slammed centuries in the opening match.

Azmatullah Omarzai is the leading wicket-taker for the side with 3 wickets. Fareed Ahmad has hunted 2 wickets in 1 match. Qais Ahmad, Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad, and Fazalhaq Farooqi have got 1 wicket each.

Also Read: Pathum Nissanka leaves behind Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle to register historic feat after sensational double century

AFG Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Ikram Alikhil (WK), Noor Ahmad, Qais Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Riaz Hassan, Naveed Zadran.

The post SL vs AFG Match Preview- 3rd ODI, 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Afghanistan has largely failed to challenge Sri Lanka in the SL vs AFG ODI series so far. They faced batting collapses in both games where their key batters got out for single digits. Also, the Hashmatullah Shahidi & Boys have failed to deliver a fabulous bowling show.

Also Read: Afghanistan squad for Sri Lanka T20Is announced, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman ruled out

Sri Lanka posted 300+ plus knocks in both opening ODI games. Pathum Nissanka scored a double in the 1st ODI. In the 2nd ODI, four Sri Lanka batters shattered fifties to propel the scoreboard to a winning total. Hence, Afghanistan bowlers have failed to demolish Sri Lanka batters in the SL vs AFG ODI series.

On the other hand, Sri Lanka has executed a marvelous performance under their new skipper Kusal Mendis. They have dominated the visitors in both batting and bowling departments. With a victory in the Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan 3rd ODI, Sri Lanka will grab a clean sweep in the series.

Also Read: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan scorecard, 2nd ODI highlights: Sri Lanka earn victory as Afghanistan suffers disastrous collapse in Pallekele

With the clean sweep, Sri Lanka can proudly avenge their ODI World Cup defeat against Afghanistan. Sri Lanka has been unbeaten in the series so far. They earlier won Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan one-off Test by 10 wickets. Notably, both sides will also lock horns in a three-match T20I series after the ODI series.

The Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan encounters have thrilled cricket fans from both nations. Indian fans can also enjoy the games on their television screens and mobile. Below we take a glance at Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan live streaming and live telecast details in India.

Also Read: “After we came back from World Cup…” – Charith Asalanka wants batting-friendly pitches in Sri Lanka

SL vs AFG Live Streaming In India– 3rd ODI, When and Where To Watch Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Live In India? 2024

When will the SL vs AFG 3rd ODI match begin?

The match will take place on Wednesday, February 14. The match will start at 2:30 PM IST. 

Where will the SL vs AFG 3rd ODI match take place?

The match will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele, Sri Lanka. 

Also Read: Record-breaking knock! Twitter reacts as Pathum Nissanka becomes first Sri Lankan to smash ODI double century

How to Live Telecast the SL vs AFG 3rd ODI match on television?

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan live telecast will be available on Sony Sports Network. 

How to Livestream the SL vs AFG 3rd ODI match on mobile Online?

The SL vs AFG Live Streaming in India will be available on the SonyLiv app and website. 

The post SL vs AFG Live Streaming In India– 3rd ODI, When and Where To Watch Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Live In India? 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Sri Lanka has dominated Afghanistan in the SL vs AFG ODI series so far, winning the opening two games by big margins. Sri Lanka’s new ODI skipper Kusal Mendis has done a marvellous job as a skipper. On the other hand, Afghan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi has to find some strong ways to outplay Sri Lanka in the final encounter.

In SL vs AFG 1st ODI, Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka shattered many records with his unbeaten double century of 210. With his blistering knock, he drove the scoreboard to a mountainous total of 381-3 in 1st innings.

Also Read: “After we came back from World Cup…” – Charith Asalanka wants batting-friendly pitches in Sri Lanka

Later, Afghanistan faced a huge batting collapse at the start, losing 5 wickets for just 55 runs on the board. Later, Azmatullah Omarzai (149) and Mohammad Nabi (136) stormed centuries to evade a humiliating defeat in the match. They powered the scoreboard to 339-6 by setting up a 242-run stand for the 6th wicket.

Afghanistan came up with a better bowling show in the 2nd ODI. However, this time, they lost the plot while batting. With half-centuries by four batters, Sri Lanka piled up 308-6 in 1st innings. Charith Asalanka hit an unbeaten 97 runs but missed his century.

Also Read: Sri Lanka squad for Afghanistan T20I series announced, Dushmantha Chameera ruled out

Later, Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran (54) and one-down Rahmat Shah (63) smashed fifties to etch a 97-run stand for 2nd wicket. However, Afghanistan faced a huge batting collapse later, with Hashmatullah Shahidi (9), Azmatullah Omarzai (3), Mohammad Nabi (1), and Ikram Alikhil (4) losing their wickets for single digits.

The SL vs AFG 3rd ODI will also take place at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium like the earlier two games. The previous games were not affected by rain. The final encounter is also unlikely to be disrupted by rain. Below is the SL vs AFG 3rd ODI weather forecast and pitch report of Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

Also Read: Sunil Gavaskar labels Rahmanullah Gurbaz as “slight copy of MS Dhoni”

SL vs AFG Weather Report Live Today And Pitch Report Of Pallekele International Cricket Stadium- 2nd ODI, 2024

SL vs AFG 3rd ODI 2024 will be played on Wednesday, February 14. Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is the venue of the encounter. The match starts at 2:30 PM IST.

SL vs AFG Weather Report, according to data from weather.com, suggests that the temperature of Pallekele City on Wednesday, February 14 will be 28° Celcius during the day and 21° Celcius at night. The sky will be partly cloudy during the day and night.

Also Read: Pathum Nissanka leaves behind Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle to register historic feat after sensational double century

According to the SL vs AFG Weather Report, the chances of rain are 21% during the day and 15% at night. The humidity will be 78% during the day and rise to 96% at night. Hence, the Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan 3rd ODI will not be affected by rain like the first two games.

The SL vs AFG Pitch Report suggests that Pallekele Stadium in Sri Lanka is a high-scoring ground in ODIs. The average 1st innings total at the stadium in ODis is 253. The average 2nd innings total is 203. The stadium has hosted 41 ODI matches so far, out of which, the team batting first won 17 games while teams batting second won 22 matches.

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is often considered good for batting. However, it also supports spinners. We witnessed how Wanindu Hasaranga picked a four-wicket haul in the previous match. The last two ODI games at the stadium were high-scoring ones. Hence, the Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan 3rd encounter is also expected to be a high-scoring one.

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Sri Lanka is led by Kusal Mendis in the SL vs AFG ODI series. Hashmatullah Shahidi is the skipper of Afghanistan. Sri Lanka won the 1st ODI by 42 runs and the 2nd ODI by 155 runs. Hence, the third ODI is a dead-rubber encounter for them.

Also Read: Sri Lanka squad for Afghanistan T20I series announced, Dushmantha Chameera ruled out

However, Afghanistan will eye a victory to end the series on a winning note. Notably, Afghanistan crushed Sri Lanka in the ODI World Cup 2023 last year. They have a powerful set of members who can give a tough challenge to Sri Lankans. However, they need to pull up their socks in both batting and bowling.

Sri Lanka, being a much more mature and older team, owns a strong record in head-to-head encounters in T20Is against Afghanistan. Both teams have played 14 T20Is so far. Sri Lanka has won 9 games while Afghanistan has won 4 matches. There was one game that ended with no result.

Also Read: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan scorecard, 2nd ODI highlights: Sri Lanka earn victory as Afghanistan suffer disastrous collapse in Pallekele

Sri Lanka also owns a superb record against Afghanistan at home. Both Asian nations have faced each other on 8 occasions in T20Is. Sri Lanka has won 5 matches while Afghanistan has won 2 games. Sri Lanka also has the edge over Afghanistan at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, winning 3 encounters and losing only 1 out of 5.

In the last five SL vs AFG T20I encounters, Sri Lanka has won 4 games while Afghanistan has won 1 match. Below we glance at detailed Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan head-to-head records across all three formats.

Also Read: Pathum Nissanka leaves behind Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle to register historic feat after sensational double century

SL vs AFG Head to Head Records – ODI, T20I & Tests

Also Read: Record-breaking knock! Twitter reacts as Pathum Nissanka becomes first Sri Lankan to smash ODI double century

SL vs AFG Head-to-Head Records – Tests

SL vs AFG Head-to-Head Records – ODIs

SL vs AFG Head-to-Head Records – T20Is

The post SL vs AFG Head-To-Head Records In ODIs- 3rd ODI, 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman will be missing out on the series after he injured his right hand during the practice session ahead of the second ODI match. Mohammad Saleem also will be missing out from the series due to his hamstring injury, Wafadar Momand has been named as his replacement.

Afghanistan’s men’s cricket team chief selector Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil while announcing the squad of the T20I series against Sri Lanka stated that the board is currently working on building a core team for the T20 World Cup 2024. He further stated that the squad consists of a mixture of junior and senior players and added that the series along with the Ireland tour is a good chance for the team to test its bench strength.

He said, “We have a close sight on the upcoming T20 World Cup for which we want to prepare a very good mix of players consisting of both juniors and seniors. This series alongside the three T20Is against Ireland in March is a good opportunity for us to test our bench strength and finalize a good squad for the mega event.”

Afghanistan showcased a brilliant performance during the last T20I series they played against India in January 2023. However, the Afghani team lost the series by 3-0 but gave tough competition to India in all three games. The final T20I match which was played in Bengaluru, Afghanistan pushed the match to two super overs and made India do a lot of hard work to win the match.

Afghanistan have not had a decent outing on the ongoing tour of Sri Lanka. Afghanistan have not won a single game on the Sri Lankan tour and suffered a ten-wicket loss in the only Test match. Afghanistan displayed a flop batting and bowling show in the first two ODIs and lost both games single-handedly.

Afghanistan have showcased brilliant development in international cricket, in the last ten to fifteen years. The Afghani team consists of the likes of great players such as Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-Ul-Haq, Gulbadin Naib, and Mohammad Nabi, who have shined at the international level and also have made the country proud.

There is also a huge demand for the Afghanistan players in the various T20 leagues that take place all round the world. The Afghani team impressed with their performance in the ODI World Cup 2023 and were almost on the verge of qualifying for the knockouts of the tournament. They also defeated big teams such as Pakistan and England.

Afghanistan’s squad for T20Is against Sri Lanka

Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Mohammad Ishaq Rahimi (WK), Hazratullah Zazai,  Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Wafadar Momand and Qais Ahmad.

The post Afghanistan squad for Sri Lanka T20Is announced, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman ruled out appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Sri Lanka has won the series already as they won the first two ODIs. The first ODI was even more memorable as the Lankans got their first double centurion in ODI cricket in Pathum Nissanka who smashed an unbeaten 210 off 139 deliveries smashing 20 fours and eight sixes in his innings. Sri Lanka won the first ODI by 42 runs and the second ODI by a massive 155 runs as Wanindu Hasaranga took a four-fer with the ball.

Charith Asalanka talked about how the pitches in Sri Lanka made it a challenge to post a total of over 300 but the concerns regarding slow pitches have been addressed sincerely looking at this series against Afghanistan. The ODI series is being played in Pallekele and the pitches have produced three 300+ totals in two matches that have been played in this series.

“After we came back from the World Cup, the first thing we spoke about was the pitches. We were generally used to pitches where scoring more than 300 was a challenge. But if we take the pitches we’ve played in this series so far, those concerns seem to have been addressed to a large extent,” said Charith Asalanka after scoring a brilliant 97* in the second ODI.

“Even today, they [Afghanistan] were in a good place in terms of their batting but as they were trying to accelerate I think we bowled well to get them out. But this is how pitches need to be, because when we go to play international tournament[s] we’re generally going to get wickets where you need to score more than 300.

“So to be able to do that we need to have practised in our home conditions. If we do more of that then it’s going to be easier for us to compete in ICC tournaments. More than that I think even our bowlers are starting to learn how to bowl on good batting wickets.”

Sri Lanka Had A Terrible ODI World Cup Campaign In India

Sri Lanka finished ninth out of the ten teams in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 and was terrible in the entire competition. They lost to the likes of Afghanistan and Bangladesh in the World Cup winning against only two teams that are England and Netherlands. The Indian pitches are generally batting-friendly with a little bit of seam movement under the lights and those massive 300+ totals which were a challenge in Sri Lanka were common in India and were considered chaseable.

Sri Lanka will face Afghanistan in the third ODI at the Pallekele International Stadium on Wednesday, February 14 and it will be a dead rubber contest as Sri Lanka has already won the series by winning the first two ODIs. The two teams will play a three-match T20I series commencing on February 17, Saturday at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium in Dambulla.

This ODI series between the Lankans and the Afghans has been a run fest and the Lankan batters are loving the pitches that are giving them an opportunity to improve their stats. The first ODI saw a double century from the Lankans and two centuries from the Afghans. The second ODI saw four half-centuries from Sri Lanka and two half-centuries from Afghanistan. It will be interesting to see whether Sri Lanka whitewash Afghanistan or the latter make a comeback.

The post “After we came back from World Cup…” – Charith Asalanka wants batting-friendly pitches in Sri Lanka appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Wanindu Hasaranga will be captaining the team in the series against Afghanistan with Charith Asalanka being the vice-captain of the team. Dushmantha Chameera will be missing the series due to the injury that he sustained in the ODI series against Afghanistan recently.

Dushmantha Chameera will be replaced by Binura Fernando in the team. The left-arm pacer has played 12 T20Is for the team and has picked 12 wickets for his side at an average of 27 and best figured of 2/12 in the format for his national team.

Sri Lanka Cricket Team released the official statement related to Dushmantha Chameera missing the series. They stated that even though fast bowlers have been named in the team but will not be taking part in any of the games for the series.

“Dushmantha Chameera: He was selected but will not play as he is recovering from the injury sustained during the ODI series. Binura Fernando came in place of Chameera.” They stated.

The rest of the squad is pretty similar to what Sri Lanka fielded in the series against Zimbabwe. Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, and Sadeera Samarawickrama are the front-line batters in the team that will be taking on the team in the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan.

Former skipper Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, and Kamindu Mendis are the three all-rounders in the team. Sri Lanka has a pretty strong spin-bowling department with skipper Hasaranga leading the charge along with Maheesh Theekshana and Akila Dhananjaya

Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, and Binura Fernando are the four pacers in the team. The upcoming series will be a great opportunity for the Sri Lanka team to get in the groove for the T20 World Cup 2024, set to take place in June 2024 in the USA and the Caribbean.

Sri Lanka are having a great time in the ongoing Afghanistan series. They won the one-off Test by 10 wickets and then continued their sublime touch in the ODI series. The island nation won two games in the 50-over series and now would be hoping to complete the whitewash. The third game will be played on 14th February.

Sri Lanka under the leadership of Wanindu Hasaranga have been terrific. They thumped Zimbabwe in the recently concluded T20I series. They would now be hoping to achieve the same feat in the upcoming series against Afghanistan and enter T20 World Cup 2024 on a high note.

Sri Lanka squad for the T20I series against Afghanistan

Here’s the Sri Lanka squad for the T20I series against Afghanistan

Wandinu Hasaranga (C), Charith Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dhananjaya, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera*, Binura Fernando

The Sri Lankan T20I squad for the Afghanistan series is here! #SLvAFG

Dushmantha Chameera: He was selected but will not play as he is recovering from the injury sustained during the ODI series. Binura Fernando came in place of Chameera. pic.twitter.com/kO74yq8NhR

— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) February 12, 2024

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It will be Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s second consecutive season with the KKR, having been bought during the IPL 2023 auction for his base price of 50 Lakhs. Gurbaz made the headlines for his aggressive style of play and power-hitting ability and this year he is expected to display an even better performance.

Since IPL 2023, the 22-year-old has cemented his spot at the top for Afghanistan and also had a decent outing in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India last year, scoring 279 runs in 9 league stage matches. He had two 50+ scores and was a major reason behind the Afghanis finishing 6th in the CWC 2023 points table, barely missing out from the knockouts.

This year when he flies over to Kolkata for the preparatory camps for IPL 2024, Rahmanullah Gurbaz will find his fellow countryman Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the team along with a few new faces like 24.75 Crore buy Mitchell Starc, Sherfane Rutherford, Manish Pandey and KS Bharat among others.

He might even find it difficult to retain his spot in the KKR XI due to the presence of India national wicket-keeper KS Bharat due to his keeping excellence but Gurbaz is a much more complete T20 player than Bharat, so it will be interesting to see who KKR backs when the season begins.

Gurbaz’s power-hitting ability has made everyone his fan and not even Sunil Gavaskar is able to deny his talent. So much so that he even likened him to the legendary MS Dhoni who signed Gavaskar’s shirt last year.

“I have liked Gurbaz’s batting a lot based on whatever I have seen. He is extremely aggressive, and his batting is like a slight copy of MS Dhoni, and that is why I probably like it,” Sunil Gavaskar said via Star Sports. 

“For Doing That He Has To”, Sunil Gavaskar Explains Why He Will Pick Rahmanullah Gurbaz In KKR Playing XI

Sunil Gavaskar was praiseful of Rahmanullah Gurbaz for his gesture of helping the needy by donating money to the people on footpaths in India after the World Cup and the former stated that he will choose Gurbaz in his KKR probable XI only for that reason.

“When the World Cup ended, after that, the job he did, he gave money to the people sleeping on the footpath. For doing that, he has to definitely be in the team for me,” Gavaskar concluded. 

In his international career, Gurbaz has scored 1247 runs in the 50-over format, including 5 centuries and 4 half-centuries at a very good strike rate of 150. In the shortest format, he has 1271 runs including a century and 6 fifties in 49 outings for Afghanistan. Rahmanullah Gurbaz will have to make sure he experiences a great IPL season in order to head into the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 with positive momentum on his side.

The post Sunil Gavaskar labels Rahmanullah Gurbaz as “slight copy of MS Dhoni” appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Batting first in Kandy, opener Pathum Nissanka was removed early for 18 runs and wasn’t able to repeat his previous match performance. Avishka Fernando also was not able to do much and walked back after scoring 5 runs. After losing 2 wickets for 36 runs, skipper Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama put up 103 runs from 113 balls for the 3rd wicket.

Sri Lanka outplay Afghanistan to win second ODI

Charith Asalanka leads the way with an unbeaten 97. #SLvAFG pic.twitter.com/O47nUTaYrG

— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) February 11, 2024

Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama scored half-centuries and contributed necessary runs to Sri Lanka’s score. Mendis scored 61 runs off 65 balls whereas Samarawickrama got out for 52 runs from 61 balls. Soon after the departure of both the batsmen, Junith Liyanage and Charith Asalanka added 111 runs from 98 balls for the 5th wicket and helped Sri Lanka achieve a decent first-inning score of 308/6 in 50 overs. Liyanage scored 50 runs from 48 balls whereas Wanindu Hasaranga got out after scoring 14 runs.

Azmatullah Omarzai picked up 3 wickets with the ball for Afghanistan. Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad and Qais Ahmad picked up 1 wicket each.

Chasing down the target, Afghanistan were off to a decent start as openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran added 31 runs for the 1st wicket. Gurbaz departed for 8 runs and didn’t do much. Rahmat Shah and Ibrahim Zadran put up 97 runs for the second wicket and gave much-needed momentum to their team. Shah scored 63 runs from 69 balls whereas Zadran got out for 54 runs from 76 balls.

However, soon after the departure of both the batsmen none of the other Afghani batsmen were able to stay at the crease for long and were dismissed cheaply. No other batsman was able to cross the 10-run mark and were out in single digits. Afghanistan were wrapped up for 153 runs and ended up being on the losing end.

Wanindu Hasaranga picked up 4 wickets with the ball whereas, Dilshan Madushanka and Asitha Fernando picked up 2 wickets each. Pramod Madushan picked up 1 wicket with the ball.

Sri Lanka have dominated in the ongoing series against Afghanistan. The hosts were able to post a mammoth score of 381 runs in the first game wherein Pathum Nissanka ended up scoring a record-breaking double hundred. Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai tried their best to help Afghanistan cross the line but in the end, the visitors once again ended up being on the losing end.

The last few months have been very tough for Sri Lanka as they had a disappointing campaign during the ODI World Cup 2023. Sri Lanka finished in the ninth spot and were also not able to make it to the Champions Trophy 2025. However, with the 2-0 ODI series win against Zimbabwe and now Afghanistan will certainly boost the confidence of the Lankan Lions.

A dramatic turnaround in Kandy as Afghanistan lost 9/25 to go from 128/1 to 153/10 and fell short of the target by 155 runs. #AfghanAtalan | #SLvAFG2024 pic.twitter.com/7Hr6kZ868U

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) February 11, 2024

Brief Scores

Sri Lanka: 308/7 (Charith Asalanka: 97*, Azmatullah Omarzai: 3/56)

Afghanistan: 153/10 (Rahmat Shah: 63, Wanindu Hasaranga: 4/27)

The post SL vs AFG scorecard, 2nd ODI highlights: Sri Lanka earn victory as Afghanistan suffer disastrous collapse in Pallekele appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Now, it has been confirmed that Dushmantha Chameera has injured his left quadriceps and will miss the upcoming second ODI against Afghanistan. His career has been filled with injuries as he missed a lot of matches last year for Sri Lanka due to torn pectoral muscles and before that he also underwent ankle surgery. He underwent a scan after the First ODI and is waiting for the results to know the extent of the injury. It is confirmed that this is not related to his previous injuries.

Dushmantha Chameera has always been an injury-prone bowler but his contributions make him an asset for Sri Lanka. His ability to generate pace with his simplified bowling action and skid the ball on demand is something that has captured the eyes of selectors. However, he has again injured himself and will miss the second ODI against Afghanistan and is now waiting for the results of the scans from the UK to know the extent of his injury.

“He’s feeling better now, but we won’t know for sure the exact nature of his injury until we hear back from the specialist,” Sri Lanka’s team manager Mahinda Halangoda told ESPNcricinfo. Dushmantha Chameera has played 52 ODIs and has taken 56 wickets while in T20Is has played 55 T20Is and has taken 55 wickets. Also, in 12 Test matches, he has recorded 32 wickets.

Asitha Fernando Will Replace Dushmantha Chameera In The Squad

Asitha Fernando played his last ODI in November 2022 against Afghanistan and now he will return to this format against the same opposition. He has played five ODIs and has managed to take only one wicket. However, his Test records are good with 41 wickets in 13 Tests which includes a 10-wicket match figure. Asitha Fernando took six wickets against Afghanistan in the one-off Test and as a result, he has been included in the ODI squad replacing Dushmantha Chameera.

Sri Lanka won the first ODI against Afghanistan by 42 runs as Pathum Nissanka created history becoming the first Sri Lankan batter to smash a double-century in ODI cricket. He scored an unbeaten 210 off 139 balls which included 20 fours and eight sixes and a strike rate of 151.08. Sri Lanka posted 381/3 in their 50 overs and in reply, Afghanistan fought hard but could only manage 339/6 in their 50 overs.

The second ODI will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele on Sunday and Afghanistan will be hoping to make a comeback after being defeated in the first ODI by Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka on the other hand would look to seal the series with another victory and get their revenge for the ODI World Cup defeat.

The post Dushmantha Chameera ruled out of second ODI against Afghanistan, replacement announced appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Afghanistan are known for its might in bowling. However, they registered one of the worst bowling shows in the previous SL vs AFG ODI. Sri Lanka posted a mammoth 381-3 in the 1st innings to record the highest-ever total at the stadium.

Moreover, Pathum Nissanka (210*) shattered an unbeaten double ton, smacking Afghan bowlers all over the park. Led by Kusal Mendis, Sri Lanka piled up a mountainous total against Afghanistan in the match. For Afghanistan, Fareed Ahmad scraped the most 2 wickets.

Also Read: Herschelle Gibbs claims he would’ve slammed 1st ODI double century If…

Afghanistan batters also succumbed to pressure at the start of the chase. They lost 5 wickets for just 55 runs at the scoreboard within 9 overs. Pramod Madushan wreaked havoc with his bowling, hunting down three key top wickets.

However, Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi slammed 149 and 136 respectively to add 242 runs for the 6th wicket. Their batting was the only positive thing for Afghanistan in the match. However, Afghanistan ultimately ended with 339-6 on the board, losing by 42 runs.

Also Read: Pathum Nissanka leaves behind Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle to register historic feat after sensational double century

SL vs AFG Weather Report Live Today And Pitch Report Of Pallekele International Cricket Stadium- 2nd ODI, 2024

SL vs AFG 2nd ODI 2024 takes place on Sunday, February 11. Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka is the venue of the encounter. The match starts at 2:30 PM IST.

SL vs AFG Weather Report, according to weather.com, suggests that the temperature of Pallekele City on Sunday, February 11 will be 30° Celcius during the day and 20° Celcius at night. The sky will be partly cloudy during the day and night.

Also Read: Mujeeb Ur Rahman ruled out of the SL vs AFG ODI series

According to the SL vs AFG Weather Report, the chances of rain are 3% during the day and 7% at night. Hence, the match will not be affected by rain. The humidity will be 70% during the day and rise to 94% at night.

The SL vs AFG Pitch Report suggests that Pallekele Stadium in Sri Lanka is a high-scoring ground in ODI. The average 1st innings total in ODIs is 251 while the average 2nd innings total is 203. Notably, Sri Lanka once chased down a 314-run target against Afghanistan at the stadium in 2022. Hence, the stadium is also good for chasing.

Also Read: Record-breaking knock! Twitter reacts as Pathum Nissanka becomes first Sri Lankan to smash ODI double century

Out of 40 ODI games at the stadium, the team batting first won 16 matches while the team batting second won 22 encounters. Sri Lanka’s total of 381/3 in the previous game against Afghanistan is now the highest-ever team total at the stadium.

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is often considered good for batting. Since chasing teams have won 22 ODI games out of 40 in the past, it is evident that it can be considered good for batting. Pitches in Sri Lanka stadiums mostly help spinners more than seamers due to their spin-friendly nature.

The post SL vs AFG Weather Report Live Today And Pitch Report Of Pallekele International Cricket Stadium- 2nd ODI, 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan could not come up with a brilliant bowling show in the SL vs AFG 1st ODI. The visitors leaked runs like tides in an ocean, allowing the home team to pile up a mammoth 381-3 in 1st innings.

Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka (210*) shattered an impeccable double ton to script record books. With 20 fours and 8 sixes, he scared Afghanistan bowlers like a lion in a forest. Later during the chase, Afghanistan’s top order fell like a house of cards.

Also Read: SL vs AFG Weather Report Live Today And Pitch Report Of Pallekele International Cricket Stadium- 2nd ODI, 2024

Pramod Madushan demolished 4 wickets to dominate Afghan batters. In the 9th over, Afghanistan reached a miserable position with 55-5 on the scoreboard. However, what happened next was equally unbelievable and wonderful.

No.5 Azmatullah Omarzai and no.7 Mohammad Nabi made a spectacular partnership of 242 runs. They drove the scoreboard from 55-5 to 297-6, setting up a memorable stand for the 6th wicket. While Nabi lost his wicket at 136, Omarzai remained unbeaten till the end with his 149 runs.

Also Read: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Today Match Prediction- 2nd ODI, Who Will Win Today’s ODI Match? 2024

Afghanistan did not win the match. However, reaching 339-6 in the end, they showcased that they are powerful enough to outplay Sri Lanka in the upcoming games. Afghanistan crushed Sri Lanka in the ICC ODI World Cup last year and they will aim for a series victory this time.

However, the visitors need to win the next encounter at any cost to grab a series in their favor. The Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan ODI series will only witness three games and if Sri Lanka wins the next clash, the last ODI will become a dead-rubber game.

Pathum Nissanka’s heroics with the bat and Nabi and Omarzai’s impeccable stand made the SL vs AFG game a trending topic among the cricket fraternity. Many Indian fans would like to watch the next clash, which can be equally exciting as the previous encounter. Below are the SL vs AFG live telecast and live streaming details in India.

Also Read: Pathum Nissanka leaves behind Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle to register historic feat after sensational double century

SL vs AFG Live Streaming In India– 2nd ODI, When and Where To Watch Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Live In India? 2024

When will the SL vs AFG 2nd ODI match begin?

The match will take place on Sunday, February 11. The match will start at 2:30 PM IST. 

Where will the SL vs AFG 2nd ODI match take place?

The match will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele, Sri Lanka. 

Also Read: Herschelle Gibbs claims he would’ve slammed 1st ODI double century If…

How to Live Telecast the SL vs AFG 2nd ODI match on television?

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan 2nd ODI will be live telecast on Sony Sports Network. 

How to Livestream the SL vs AFG 2nd ODI match on mobile Online?

The SL vs AFG Live Streaming in India will be available on the SonyLiv app and website. 

The post SL vs AFG Live Streaming In India– 2nd ODI, When and Where To Watch Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Live In India? 2024 appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Sri Lanka were off to a commanding start as the openers added 182 runs for the first wicket. Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando gave a blistering start to their team and smashed the Afghanistan bowlers to all parts of the ground. While Fernando smashed a brilliant double century and Fernando played an innings of 88 runs from 88 balls. Fernando smashed a total of eight fours and 3 sixes during his stay at the crease.

Pathum Nissanka shines for Sri Lanka against Afghanistan

History made!

Pathum Nissanka rewrites the record books with a phenomenal 210*, the highest ODI score ever by a Sri Lankan batsman! This innings surpasses the legendary Sanath Jayasuriya’s 24-year-old record of 189, set in 2000.#SLvAFG pic.twitter.com/dJMghNxXTY

— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) February 9, 2024

After the departure of Avishka Fernando, captain Kusal Mendis was not able to do much and was dismissed for 16 runs from 31 balls. On the other hand, Pathum Nissanka continued to play shots from the other end. Sadeera Samarawickrama gave brilliant support to Nissanka and put up a stand of 120 runs from 71 balls for the third wicket. Samarawickrama played an innings of 45 runs from 36 balls.

Sri Lanka post a mammoth 381/3 total against Afghanistan as Pathum Nissanka remains unbeaten on a record-breaking 210*!

This is the highest total ever recorded in ODIs at Pallekele.

Live Scorecard : https://t.co/z8HCHdOX6P
Watch : https://t.co/CKfwszsd8V

#SLvAFG pic.twitter.com/83cY3geCVw

— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) February 9, 2024

In the end, Pathum Nissanka stayed at the crease till the last over and helped Sri Lanka put up a score of 381 runs. Nissanka also became the third fastest batsman to slam a double hundred, whereas he also became the highest individual run scorer for Sri Lanka in the ODI format. Nissanka went passed Sri Lanka legend Sanath Jayasuriya.

Fareed Ahmad picked up 2 wickets for Afghanistan whereas Mohammad Nabi ended up with 1 wicket.

Chasing down the target, Afghanistan got off to a poor start. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the first one to depart for the Afghani team and was dismissed for 1 run. Ibrahim Zadran was the second batsman to depart for 4 runs and fell against Sri Lankan pacer Pramod Madushan. Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi were also not able to do much with the bat and walked back after scoring 7 runs respectively.

After losing five quick wickets, Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai tried to script history for Afghanistan and added 242 runs from 222 balls for the 6th wicket. Both the batsmen scored smashing hundreds and hit all the Sri Lankan bowlers to all the parts of the ground.

Mohammad Nabi played an innings of 136 runs from 130 balls whereas Azmatullah Omarzai was unbeaten on 149 runs from 115 balls. However, in the end, Afghanistan were not able to cross the finish line and ended up on the losing end.

Pramod Madushan picked up 4 wickets for Sri Lanka with the ball whereas, Dushmantha Chameera ended up taking 2 wickets.

Brief Scores

Sri Lanka: 381/3 (Pathum Nissanka: 210*, Fareed Ahmad: 2/79)

Afghanistan: 339/6 (Azmatullah Omarzai: 149*, Pramod Madushan: 4/75)

The post SL vs AFG scorecard, 1st ODI highlights: Pathum Nissanka shines in Sri Lanka’s win; Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai’s heroics in vain appeared first on CricketAddictor.

Gibbs went on ‘X’ to claim that he would have slammed the first ODI double-century for South Africa. This made fans remember his iconic 175-run innings he played against Australia in Johannesburg to chase down 435 runs against Australia, which is the highest-ever run chase in ODIs.

Herschelle Gibbs played an innings of 175 runs from 111 balls and smashed a total of 21 fours and seven sixes during his stay at the crease. Gibbs’ knock ensured South Africa created history at the Wanderers and were able to win the match by 1 wicket and achieve a brilliant milestone.

Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025 posing threat to T20 leagues around the world – Reports

Herschelle Gibbs comments on Pathum Nissanka’s double-century

Would have pissed it in 2006 if I was concerned about stats ..

— Herschelle Gibbs (@hershybru) February 9, 2024

Herschelle Gibbs’ tweet read, “Would have pissed it in 2006 if I was concerned about stats …”, as per Herschelle Gibbs, he would have become the first batsman to slam a double century in ODI cricket if he was worried about his stats back in 2006.

Remembering the iconic SA vs AUS 2006 5th ODI match, batting first Australia had put up a score of 434/4 courtesy of a brilliant century by captain Ricky Ponting. Ponting played an innings of 164 runs from 105 balls. Michael Hussey also played a knock of 81 runs from 51 balls.

Chasing down the target, South African skipper Graeme Smith played an innings of 90 runs apart from Herschelle Gibbs’ smashing hundred. Mark Boucher was unbeaten on 50 runs and played an important role in helping South Africa chase down the target.

After surpassing both “universe boss” Chris Gayle and Indian great Virender Sehwag to smash a double hundred, Pathum Nissanka became the third-quickest batsman in the history of international cricket to achieve the milestone. While Sehwag reached the milestone in 140 balls, Gayle smashed the double century in 138 balls. In 136 balls, Nissanka accomplished the milestone.

Also Read: “Lucky to have played under Rohit Sharma” – Tilak Varma credits Mumbai Indians stint for India call-up

Getting back to the SL vs AFG first ODI match, Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka created history in Kandy. Nissanka played an innings of 210 runs from 139 balls and hit a total of 20 fours and 8 sixes during his stay at the crease.

Pathum Nissanka now has the best score by a Sri Lankan batsman in the 50-over format and became the first batter to hit a double century in ODI cricket. Nissanka broke the previous mark held by renowned Sri Lankan opener Sanath Jayasuriya. In 2000, Jayasuriya amassed 189 runs in opposition against India.

Ishan Kishan, a young opener for India, presently owns the record for smashing the fastest century in One-Day International cricket. He achieved this feat against Bangladesh in just 126 balls. In the recently concluded ODI World Cup, Australia’s Glenn Maxwell ranked second, hit the mark against Afghanistan in 128 balls.

Pathum Nissanka became the 10th batsman in the history of international cricket to hit an ODI double century. He joined the likes of  Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, Chris Gayle, Martin Guptill, Fakhar Zaman, Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, and Glenn Maxwell.

The Sri Lankan team will want to continue the momentum they gained after winning the ODI series against Zimbabwe by 2-0.

Also Read: SL vs AFG scorecard, 1st ODI highlights: Pathum Nissanka shines in Sri Lanka’s win; Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai’s heroics in vain

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Pathum Nissanka became the third fastest batsman by leaving behind Indian legend Virender Sehwag and ‘universe boss’ Chris Gayle to hit a double hundred. Gayle slammed the double century in 138 balls whereas Sehwag achieved the milestone in 140 balls. Nissanka reached the milestone in 136 balls.

Also Read: ‘He said we have…’ – Mohammad Rizwan’s huge revelation about Shaheen Afridi’s pep talk during 5th NZ T20I

Pathum Nissanka scripts history against Afghanistan

Pathum Nissanka also became the first Sri Lankan batsman to smash a double century in ODI cricket and now holds the highest score by a Sri Lankan batsman in the 50-over format. Nissanka went passed veteran Sri Lanka opener Sanath Jayasuriya who held the record previously. Jayasuriya had scored 189 runs against India in 2000 against India.

Young Indian opener Ishan Kishan currently holds the record of slamming the fastest century in ODI cricket and reached the mark in 126 balls against Bangladesh. Australia’s Glenn Maxwell is on the second spot and reached the mark in 128 balls against Afghanistan in the recently concluded ODI World Cup.

Pathum Nissanka joined the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, Chris Gayle, Martin Guptill, Fakhar Zaman, Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, and Glenn Maxwell who have slammed double hundreds in the 50 over format.

Also Read: Record-breaking knock! Twitter reacts as Pathum Nissanka becomes first Sri Lankan to smash ODI double century

Batting first Sri Lanka were able to put up a score of 381 runs for the loss of three wickets. The Sri Lankan team were off to a brilliant start as openers Nissanka and Avishka Fernando added 182 runs for the first wicket. Fernando got out for 88 runs whereas Nissanka continued his attack from the other end. Sri Lankan captain Kusal Mendis was not able to contribute much with the bat and got out for 16 runs.

Sadeera Samarawickrama played an innings of 44 runs from 36 balls and hit a total of four fours and 1 six during his time at the crease. Pathum Nissanka smashed all the Afghanistan bowlers to all the parts of the ground and the likes of Azmatullah Omarzai and Fareed Ahmad went for over 8 runs an over. The Afghanistan team have a tough job in their hands and Sri Lanka would have a chance of registering a heavy win.

Afghanistan were playing without the likes of big names such as Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. The Afghani team has an inexperienced batting lineup which consists of the likes of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Gulbadin Naib.

Afghanistan defeated Sri Lanka in their previous ODI encounter during the ODI World Cup 2023. The Afghani team would want to continue their momentum against the Sri Lankan Lions. However, Sri Lanka registered a ten-wicket win against Afghanistan in the inaugural match of the tour. Sri Lanka won the match by ten wickets and were able to make a brilliant statement.

Also Read: Musheer Khan, Uday Saharan among 8 players shortlisted by ICC for the U19 World Cup Player of the Tournament

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He became the first Sri Lankan batsman to score a double century in ODI cricket. He surpassed Sanath Jayasuriya’s career-best ODI score of 189 to achieve this rare feat. He got to the landmark hitting a boundary four of Afghan pacer Fareed Malik.

Nissanka finished with 210 off 139 deliveries as he hit 20 fours and 8 sixes in his innings at a strike rate of 151.07. He first added 182 runs for the first wicket with Avishka Fernando (88). Kusal Mendis the captain scored 16, Charith Asalanka an unbeaten 7 as Nissaka added another crucial stand of 120 runs with Sadeera.

Every Afghanistan bowler was expensive in this match. Fareed Malik and Mohammad Nabi were the only two bowlers to pick up wickets. Every bowler barring Nabi conceded runs at an excess of seven runs per over. Malik went for 79 runs off his seven over while Fazalhaq Farooqi went for 77 runs off his nine overs. The Lankans scored 60 runs off the last five overs.

Also Read: AUS vs WI scorecard, 1st T20I highlights: David Warner, Adam Zampa help Australia beat West Indies to take 1-0 lead in series

Afghanistan now need to have a record chase if they are to win the first ODI. They need a mammoth 382 runs to win the match. This is one of the biggest ever chases in their ODI history. The absence of Rashid Khan was dearly felt by the bowling attack. He is currently out of the team as he is recovering from his lower back surgery.

Pathum Nissanka became the 11th batter overall to score a double-century in ODI cricket and the first Sri Lankan batter to achieve the feat. His knock of 210 now becomes the highest individual score by a Sri Lankan batter in ODI cricket. He ranks sixth in the list of top individual run-getters in ODI cricket.

Cricket World Reacts To Pathum Nissanka’s Maiden Double Ton

Pathum Nissanka creates history by becoming the first Sri Lankan batter to enter the 200-run club. Congratulations young man.. way to go.. #SLVAFG pic.twitter.com/YQqOQLN2cl

— Nibraz Ramzan (@nibraz88cricket) February 9, 2024

ODI Double Hundred for my favorite Pathum Nissanka!

210*(139), 20 fours, 8 sixes. The first Sri Lankan ODI double centurion. Top class player! https://t.co/EoCg8E3l6a pic.twitter.com/THthG4rDzh

— Srini Mama (@SriniMaama16) February 9, 2024

It's a record breaking day for @Patumnissanka18 ! 1st ever Sri lankan to make a double hundred in ODI cricket! The highest ever score in ODI cricket for Sri Lanka. Congratulations to Pathum Nissanka. Simply magnificent.

— Roshan Abeysinghe (@RoshanCricket) February 9, 2024

https://twitter.com/cricketaakash/status/1755939657462723023?t=TVL0qrkG120DLPX9ttxNow&s=19

Pathum Nissanka is on his way to greatness!
The first ever double century and the highest score in ODIs by a Sri Lankan
An innings full of class and an absolute treat to watch#SLvAFG

— Lasith Malinga (@malinga_ninety9) February 9, 2024

Fastest to score double hundreds in ODI Cricket history:

Ishan Kishan – 126 balls.

Glenn Maxwell – 128

Pathum Nissanka – 136* pic.twitter.com/N0zsqTSXYT

— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) February 9, 2024

Pathum Nissanka’s 210* puts him fifth equal on the ODI scores list. An innings as selfless as it was clinical. After he got a fast start, just refused to play it safe.

His name’s now up with some of the best.

— Andrew Fidel Fernando (@afidelf) February 9, 2024

That was some knock by Pathum Nissanka. So many doubts about his ability to play ‘modern day’ cricket (sometimes justified), but the way he’s grown as a batter over the last couple of years, you have to give him props #SLvAFG pic.twitter.com/skNIbXUHoM

— Estelle Vasudevan (@Estelle_Vasude1) February 9, 2024

PATHUM NISSANKA BECOMES THE FIRST SRI LANKA TO SCORE A DOUBLE HUNDRED IN ODIS…!!! pic.twitter.com/Swqy21wyla

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 9, 2024

PATHUM NISSANKA BECOMES THE FIRST SRI LANKA TO SCORE A DOUBLE HUNDRED IN ODIS…!!! pic.twitter.com/Swqy21wyla

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 9, 2024

PATHUM NISSANKA BREAKS THE 24 YEAR OLD RECORD OF SANATH JAYASURYA

– Nissanka holds the highest individual score by a Sri Lankan in ODI history. pic.twitter.com/JnViUZ5RQw

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 9, 2024

PATHUM NISSANKA BECOMES THE FIRST SRI LANKAN TO SCORE A DOUBLE HUNDRED IN ODI HISTORY pic.twitter.com/xf28BaTrvV

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 9, 2024

Sanath Jayasuriya enjoying his 24 year old record being broken by Pathum Nissanka.#AFGvSL pic.twitter.com/hczU9Ft5dG

— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) February 9, 2024

History made!

Pathum Nissanka rewrites the record books with a phenomenal 210*, the highest ODI score ever by a Sri Lankan batsman! This innings surpasses the legendary Sanath Jayasuriya’s 24-year-old record of 189, set in 2000.#SLvAFG pic.twitter.com/dJMghNxXTY

— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) February 9, 2024

Fakhar Zaman and Ishan Kishan also have a career-best of 210* like Nissanka. Fakhar scored against Zimbabwe while Kishan scored against Bangladesh. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma is the only batter with three double-centuries in ODI cricket. No other batter has scored more than one. God of Cricket Sachin Tendulkar was the first to score a double century in ODI cricket back in 2010. In the next decade, a few more batters have followed suit.

Also Read: Watch: If looks could kill…! Alzarri Joseph gives death stare to West Indies teammates for poor fielding

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Mujeeb injured his right hand during the training session in Kandy due to which he will stay out from the 50-over contest against Sri Lanka. The Afghanistan Cricket Board tweeted for the same on ‘X’ and informed about the development.

Afghanistan Cricket Board’s tweet read, “Mujeeb Ur Rahman sprained his right phalanx (hand) during the training session yesterday which ruled him out of the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.  Wish you a swift & speedy recovery Muj!”

Mujeeb Ur Rahman ruled out from the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka

INJURY ALERT

Mujeeb Ur Rahman sprained his right phalanx (hand) during the training session yesterday which ruled him out of the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.

Wish you a swift & speedy recovery Muj! #AfghanAtalan | #SLvAFG2024 pic.twitter.com/LzFdOnSvjg

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) February 9, 2024

Mujeeb Ur Rahman has not played any ODI match since November 2023. Mujeeb was part of the T20I series against India in January 2024. Mujeeb was also under the headlines due to his controversy with the Afghanistan Cricket Board. The spinner had urged ACB to not include him in the central contract list for 2024, as he wanted to play in T20 leagues rather than play for the national team.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman along with Naveen-ul-Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi were banned from playing foreign leagues for two years by the ACB. However, later all these players showcased their urge to play for the national side and later their bans were lifted by the cricket board.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman is a brilliant spinner who has a lot of variations which allows him to stop the batsman from scoring runs. Also, Rahman can take wickets with the new ball or at any stage of the innings and has a googly that cannot be easily picked by the batter.

Afghanistan will be led by Hashamatullah Shahidi whereas Rahmat Shah has been named as the vice-captain of the side for the upcoming series. In the absence of Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Afghanistan’s spin attack has become a bit inexperienced. The Afghani team only has the likes of Noor Ahmad and Mohammad Nabi in the spin department and now the team will be more dependent on the pacers to take wickets rather than their spinners.

Afghanistan defeated Sri Lanka in the ODI World Cup 2023 and will look forward to continuing the same performance in the upcoming ODI series.

Sri Lanka on the other hand will be led by Kusal Mendis and consists of many young names. Most of the names played against Zimbabwe, such as Janith Liyanage and Shevon Daniel whereas the spin departments have match winners such as Wanindu Hasaranga, Akila Dhananjaya, and Maheesh Theekshana. Sri Lankan selectors have also included Dunith Wellalage in the spin department who showed a lot of promise in the ODI World Cup 2023.

All three matches of the SL vs AFG ODI series will be played at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy. The first match will be played on February 9 whereas the series will conclude on February 14.

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Afghanistan lost the only Test against Sri Lanka after being outplayed throughout the Test match. The Afghans scored 196 and 292 in the two innings in response to Sri Lanka’s mammoth total of 439 in the first innings. In the second innings, the Islanders chased down 56 and won the match by 10 wickets. 

After a fairly one-sided Test match, the white-ball series is expected to be closely fought. Afghanistan won four matches in the IC World Cup 2023. One of their wins came against Sri Lanka. They also defeated England, Pakistan, and Netherlands in the tournament. Their performance in the World Cup also guaranteed them their first-ever ICC Champions Trophy qualification next year in Pakistan. 

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, displayed a disappointing performance in the World Cup. That led the Sri Lankan Cricket Board (SLC) to change their captaincy across formats. Kusal Mendis was named the new ODI skipper, Wanindu Hasaranga the new T20I skipper, and Dhananjaya de Silva the new Test skipper. 

After the ODI World Cup, Sri Lanka hosted a three-match ODI and T2-0I series against Zimbabwe. The hosts were pushed to the brink by the visitors as they won the series 2-0. The T20I series was also closely fought which they won 2-0 as well. 

Afghanistan played their last ODI match in the World Cup where they finished sixth on the table with four wins in nine matches. They next played a T20I series against India, losing 3-0. However, they gained a rich experience of playing against India in India. 

Against Sri Lanka, they have a much more close head to head record in white-ball games. Sri Lanka and Afghanistan have faced each other in 12 matches in ODI. Out of these 12 games, Sri Lanka have won 7 whereas Afghanistan have come out victorious on 4 occasions. Afghanistan won the last match between the two sides in the World Cup in Pune. In five T20Is between the two sides, the Lankans have won three while the Afghans have two.

Also Read: South Africa women’s team creates history by defeating Australia in the 2nd ODI, registers their first win against Australia in ODIs

Kusal Mendis will lead Sri Lanka in this ODI series. He has taken over from Dasun Shanaka as the ODI skipper. He has his prime spinners Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga available for selection for the ODI series. They also have a pace attack spearheaded by Dusmantha Chameera and Dilshan Madushanka. 

Afghanistan also have its white-ball regulars back in the side. They will be led by Hasmatullah Shahidi who led them in the World Cup. Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Gulbadin Naib are the all-rounders with Ibrahim Zadrab, Rahmat Shah, and Rahmaullah Gurbaz forming the batting core. Rashid Khan is still unavailable as he recovering from his lower back injury that has kept him out of competitive cricket after the World Cup.

SL vs AFG Live Streaming In India– 1st ODI, When and Where To Watch Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Live In India? 2024

 Also Read: Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma! Mohammed Shami answers who’s the best and who’s the dangerous

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Afghanistan will be led by Hasmatullah Shahidi. He led the Afghans in the ODI World Cup as well. He won four games in the tournament as the side grabbed a lot of eyeballs.

Afghanistan won against the likes of England, Pakistan, and even Sri Lanka in the tournament. Overall, in 12 matches the Lankans won seven games and the Afghans won four including the last meeting.

Afghganistan’s white-ball specialists are back in the side after their one-off Test. Rashid Khan continues to remain absent as he is still recovering from his lower back surgery that he underwent after the World Cup.

This gives spinners like Noor Ahmd and Qais Ahmad to step up in his absence and make their presence felt. The bowling attack is well shaped up by spin being the focal point. Fazalhaq Farooqi will lead the pace attack.

Sri Lanka were recently challenged by Zimbabwe who toured the Island nation recently. Afghanistan who are far more used to playing in these conditions and poses a threat to the hosts. In this article, we predict Afghanistan’s playing XI for the first ODI in Pallekele.

Also Read: SL vs AFG Weather Report Live Today And Pitch Report Of Pallekele International Cricket Stadium – 1st ODI, 2024

Afghanistan Playing 11 vs Sri Lanka, 1st ODI, 2024

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK)

The attacking opener is back in the side after his stint at the ILT20 with Dubai Capitals. He scored 146 runs in 8 games at a strike rate of 155.32. He is approaching 1500 ODI runs.

Ibrahim Zadran

Zadran will open the batting for Afghanistan with Gurbaz. He recently led the side against the UAE. He also scored his maiden Test ton in the Only Test and is in good batting form.

Rahmat Shah

Rahmat Shah will slot in at three. He is the most experienced batter in the side with more than 3500 runs in the format. He has played 106 ODIs and has five centuries and 26 fifties in the format.

Hasmatullah Shahidi (C)

Shahidi will slot in at four. He will also lead the side. He did a good job in the World Cup. The skipper needs to score at a faster pace for the team’s cause and rotate the strike.

Azmatullah Omarzai

Omarzai is being promoted as an all-rounder by Afghanistan. He had a brilliant World Cup for his side and is now rising up the ranks. He is 10 short of 500 ODI runs and has a best of 97.

Mohammad Nabi

Nabi is the most-capped Afghanistan cricketer with 156 ODIs. He is almost going strong at almost 40. He has 162 wickets in the format and has scored more than 3000 ODI runs. He is one shy of 100 ODI sixes.

Gulbadin Naib

Naib can slot in at seven and lengthen the batting lineup. He is a strong hitter down the order and can bowl at a good pace. He has played 79 ODI games scoring over 1200 runs and picking 72 wickets.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Mujeeb will bat at eight. In the absence of Rashid Khan, he will lead the spin attack. He is a handy batter down the order who can hit the long ball as well. He has picked up 101 wickets in 75 matches.

Noor Ahmad

Noor will replace Rashid Khan in the side. He has played just seven ODIs and picked up seven wickets. It is time now that he gets more games for his country.

Qais Ahmad

Qais will be the third spinner in the side. He also has the opportunity to make the most of Rashid’s absence. He has played just one ODI back in 2022 against the Netherlands.

Fazalhaq Farooqi

Farooqi will conclude the likely Afghanistan playing XI. He has played 27 ODIs picking up 38 wickets. He played his last ODI for Afghanistan in the World Cup.

Also Read: Tom Moody labels IPL performance as the criteria for T20 World Cup 2024 selection

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ches will be played in Pallekele and they will be day-night games.

Sri Lanka defeated Afghanistan in the Only Test heading into this series. Their first innings score of 439 was a bit too much for the inexperienced Afghanistan side. They scored 196 and 292 in the two innings. Sri Lanka chased down 56 in a canter in the second innings and won the match by 10 wickets.

This ODI series is expected to be a more competitive series. Sri Lanka lost to Afghanistan when they last met in the 50-over World Cup. They were also pushed to the brink in the recently concluded ODI series against Zimbabwe.

Sri Lanka will be eld by Kusal Mendis. He has a full-strength squad with his key batters and bowlers both available. They have a good bowling attack with Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana both available. He also has his key pacers Dusmantha Chameera and Dilshan Madushanka available for the series as well.

In 12 ODI matches between the two sides Sri Lanka have won seven matches while Afghanistan four. In this article, we predict Sri Lanka’s playing XI for the first ODI in Pallekele.

Also Read: Jasprit Bumrah likely to play Rajkot Test; Virat Kohli to miss entire England series – Reports

Sri Lanka Playing 11 vs Afghanistan, 1st ODI, 2024

Pathum Nissanka

Nissanak will open the batting. The next ODI will be his 50th for the national team. He is approaching 2000 runs in ODI cricket. He missed out from the Zimbabwe series due to reports of dengue.

Aviskha Fernando

Fernando will open the batting with Nissanka. He is a talented batter but has not made the most of his opportunities. He is six soft of 1000 ODI runs for his national team. He has played 32 ODIs since making his ODI debut in 2016.

Kusal Mendis (C/WK)

Mendis will lead the side and also keep. He scored 294 runs in the World Cup and was the vice-captain of the side. He is now the full-time ODI skipper.

Sadeera Samarawickrama

Sadeera will bat at four. He also played in the World Cup and played well alongside Mendis. He can bat anywhere from three to five and is capable of anchoring the innings.

Charith Asalanka

Asalanka will bat at five. He has played 53 ODI matches and approaching close to 2000 ODI runs. He plays with an attacking intent and can also bowl some overs. He is a good all-round cricketer.

Janith Liyanage

Liyanage will bat at six. He played a few crucial knocks in the ODI series against Zimbabwe and pulled the team out of trouble. He already has a best score of 95 in just three ODIs.

Wanindu Hasaranga

Hasaranga will slot in at seven. He is the T20I skipper of Sri Lanka. He was recently paying for the Desert Vipers in the ILT20 2024. The next ODI will be his 50th. He has taken 74 wickets in the format. He played in the last ODI against Zimbabwe.

Dunith Wellalage

Wellalage the left-arm spinning all-rounder will slot in at eight to lengthen the batting lineup. He has played 18 ODIs and has a best of 42. He also has 21 wickets.

Maheesh Theekshana

Theekshana will slot in at nine. He was playing for the Sharjah Warriors in the ILT20. The leggie is a good lower-order batter as well. He has picked up 55 wickets from 38 ODIs.

Dusmantha Chameera

Chameera will lead the pace attack. he missed the ODI World Cup with a hamstring injury but played in the series against Zimbabwe. He played his last ODI in the final ODI against Zimbabwe.

Dilshan Madushanka

Madushanka concludes the likely playing XI for Sri Lanka in the first ODI against Afghanistan. The left-arm pacer cracked a deal with Mumbai Indians in the IPL. He last played in the third ODI against Zimbabwe.

Also Read: Not MI or RCB! Rahmanullah Gurbaz expresses desire to play under MS Dhoni at CSK

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Sri Lanka defeated Afghanistan by 10 wickets in the Only Test in Colombo. The Lankan first-innings score of 439 was a bit too much for Afghanistan who scored 196 and 292 in the two innings of the Test match. 

After the one-off Test match this SL vs AFG ODI series is expected to be a much more competitive series. Sri Lanka last played against Afghanistan in the ODI World Cup where the Afghans defeated the Lankans. 

Heading into this game, Afghanistan have played 12 ODI matches against Sri Lanka winning four and losing seven matches. They have a chance to add to this tally in this series. In four T20Is, SL have won three and AFG one. 

Sri Lanka recently played against Zimbabwe in an ODI and T20I series at home. They won the ODI series 2-0 and the T20I series 2-1. Despite the series win, the hosts were tested by the visiting Zimbabwean team. Thus the side is vulnerable in home conditions as well and this is where Afghanistan have an opportunity. 

Also Read: Aaron Finch backs 40-over ODI games, feels it will help weaker teams like West Indies

SL vs AFG Match Preview- 1st ODI, 2024

Sri Lanka 

Sri Lanka will be led by Kusal Mendis their new ODI skipper. He won his maiden ODI series as captain against Zimbabwe and now has to face the challenge from Afghanistan. They have a full-strength squad with their key spinner Hasaranga and Theekshana available. Both were recently playing in the ILT20 league. 

Their batting is looked after by skipper Mendis alongside Sadeera Samarawickrama, Aviskha Fernando, Charith Asalanka and opener Pathum Nissanka. The strength for Sri Lanka lies in their spinners and in the absence of Rashid Khan in the opposition. 

Sri Lanka Squad 

Kusal Mendis (c), Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sahan Arachchige, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Akila Dananjaya, Wanindu Hasaranga

Afghanistan 

Afghanistan will be led by Hasmatullah Shahidi. He will miss the services of ace spinner Rashid Khan in the series who is still recovering from his lower back surgery. This allows fringe spinners Noor Ahmad and Qais Ahmad to hog the limelight perform for the team and win them matches. Fazalhaq Farooqi will lead the pace attack but is spin that will dictate terms against the opposition. 

The batting will be led by Ibrahim Zadran who recently scored a century in the one-off Test. He will have the likes of Rahmat Shah and skipper Hasmatullah for company. Rahmanullah Gurbaz is also back in the side after his stint with Dubai Capitals in the ILT20. He and Ibrahim need to give the team a good start. Nabi, Gulbadin, and Zamatullah Omarzai are three good all-rounders in the side. 

Afghanistan have the necessary ammunition to challenge Sri Lanka in their backyard and start 2024 with a series win. Pallekele does prepare good wickets for batting and the Afghanistan batters need to ensure that they give their bowlers a good total to defend. 

Afghanistan Squad 

Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Qais Ahmad, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad

Reserves: Sharafuddin Ashraf, Shahidullah, Abdul Rahman, Bilal Sami

Also Read: Not MI or RCB! Rahmanullah Gurbaz expresses desire to play under MS Dhoni at CSK

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The squad has regular members such as Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, and Avishka Fernando but the team also has inexperienced players such as Shevon Daniel and Janith Liyange. Sri Lanka, which is known to be a spin-friendly team, the squad also has the likes of ace spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dhananjaya, and also the young spinner Dunith Wellalage. Wellalage inspired with his performance during the Asia Cup 2023.

All-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva lacks his place in the side and his last appearance for Sri Lanka came in the ODI World Cup 2023. In place of de Silva, Chamika Karunaratne has found a place in the squad to boost the pace bowling department of the team. The team also has the likes of pace bowlers such as Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera, and Pramod Madushan. Matheesha Pathirana is not included in the side as he continues to recover from his shoulder injury.

Sri Lanka registered a thumping 10-wicket win against Afghanistan in the one-off Test match and now the action of the tour shifts to the white ball leg. The series is starting on February 9 and will end on February 14. All the matches will be played at the Pallekele International Stadium in Pallekele, whereas it will head to the T20Is which will be played in Dambulla.

Afghanistan have already announced their squad which will be led by Hashmatullah Shahidi. Rashid Khan is not on the side as he continues to recover from his back injury. The Afghani team defeated Sri Lanka in the ODI World Cup 2023 and will aim to continue the same performance.

Sri Lanka had a disappointing performance in the ODI World Cup 2023 and they finished in the ninth position in the points table. The Sri Lankan team were only able to win 2 matches from 7 games and they also lost many main players due to their injuries.

However, Sri Lanka showcased a decent comeback in the ODI series against Zimbabwe and were able to win the series by 2-0. Kusal Mendis and Janith Liyange impressed with their performance and were the top two run scorers of the series. Mendis scored 129 runs from 3 games whereas Liyange scored 119 runs from 3 matches.

Getting back to Afghanistan, the Afghani team is one of the fastest-growing cricketing nations at present. Afghanistan gave tough competition to India in India in the T20I series they played against the Asian giants in the early days of January 2024. The Afghani team also showcased a decent performance during the only Test match, however, Sri Lanka proved to be too much for Afghanistan and they were able to register a remarkable 10-wicket win.

Sri Lanka’s squad for the ODI series against Afghanistan

Kusal Mendis (c), Charith Asalanka (vc), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan, Sahan Arachchige, Akila Dananjaya, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Shevon Daniel.

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Sri Lanka are leading into this series after their win over Afghanistan in the Only Test. They won the match by 10 wickets. Afghanistan scored 198 and 296 in response to Sri Lanka’s first-innings score of 439. They then chased down 56 in the second innings to win the Test match by 10 wickets.

Afghanistan is expected to be a more competitive side in the ODI series. They won their last ODI game played against Sri Lanka in the World Cup. They have played 12 games against Sri Lanka winning four games. In this series, they have a chance to add to that tally. Hasmtullah Shahidi will lead the side. He will not have Rashid Khan in his side who is still recovering from his lower-back injury.

Many Afghan players who were playing in the ILT20 have joined the national team. Noor Ahmad joined the side from SA20 where he was playing for the Durban Super Giants. Afghanistan have an overall good side capable of challenging Sri Lanka in their home conditions.

The visitors will miss the services of their star leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who is yet to recover from his back injury. In the absence of Rashid, youngster Qais Ahmed has been included in the 15-man squad as his replacement. Furthermore, pacer Mohammad Saleem has been sidelined with a hamstring injury. All-rounder Gulbadin Naib has earned a recall to the ODI side after he impressed in Afghanistan’s last series against India.

Also Read: Virat Kohli to miss 3rd and 4th Tests against England, uncertain for 5th Test in Dharamsala

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, will be led by Kusal Mendis. He was named the ODI skipper after the World Cup. They played an ODI and T20I series against Zimbabwe before this series against Afghanistan. They won the ODI series 2-0 but were pushed to the brink. Zimbabwe challenged them even harder in the T20I series levelling it 1-1 but losing the decider unfortunately.

The Lankans have been a bit vulnerable at home against Sri Lanka. Afghanistan with an in-form bowling unit with a lot of T20I cricket behind them is expected to exploit the conditions in Pallekele. The Lankans have Theekshana and Hasaranga to counter the Afghan spin challenge as well.

Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have played 12 ODIs with the Lankans winning seven and Afghanistan four games. In four T20s, the Lankans have won three matches and Afghanistan one. Ahmad Shah Sulimankhil, the newly appointed interim Chief Selector spoke about the team’s 10-day preparatory camp in Abu Dhabi to get themselves adjusted to the conditions.

SL vs AFG Weather Report Live Today And Pitch Report Of Pallekele International Cricket Stadium – 1st ODI, 2024

The SL vs AFG first ODI starts at 2.30 pm IST. It’s a day-night game with dew expected to play a big role in the second innings of the game. The temperature will be as high as 31 degrees during the day. The conditions will be much cooler in the evening with the temperature around 18 degrees. There is a negligible chance of rain in the evening.

Speaking about the venue, it has hosted 39 ODi matches with 15 matches won by the team batting first and 22 batting second. Thus captains prefer to chase at this venue given the dew in the evening. The average first innings score is close to 250. However, with big hitters on both sides, we can expect a high-scoring contest.

Also Read: Mohammed Siraj set to return for the 3rd Test, will replace this player in the playing XI

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Afghanistan will be led by Hasmatullah Shahidi. He led the side in the World Cup. Afghanistan won four games in the tournament beating Sri Lanka as well. He will be without the services of Rashid Khan who i still recovering from his lower back surgery. 

Afghanistan lost the one-off Test against Sri Lanka leading into the SL vs AFG ODI series. Sri Lanka scored 439 in their first innings which was too much for Afghanistan who scored 198 and 296 in the two innings of the Test match. Afghanistan chased down 56 to win the first Test. 

Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have played 17 matches with the Lankans winning seven and the Afghans four games. Afghanistan won the last two meetings between the two teams in the World Cup. In five T20Is, Sri Lanka won three games, and Afghanistan five. 

Also Read: KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja expected to return in IND vs ENG 3rd Test

ACB Chairman Mirwais Ashraf spoke about his team playing their first Test match against Sri Lanka who have a rich heritage of Test cricket. Afghanistan is slotted to play a few Test matches in 2024 starting with the match against Sri Lanka and the ACB chairman is hopeful that the team will count on their chances. Before the Test match started he gave a glimpse into the 10-day preparation camp that the Afghan players undertook in Abu Dhabi to get themselves adjusted to the conditions in Sri Lanka. 

Sri Lanka will be led by Kusal Mendis. He was the newly appointed ODI skipper after the World Cup. Sri Lanka played an ODI and T20I series against Zimbabwe leading into this Series. They won the ODI series 2-0 but lost the T20I series despite being the better team on the field. Zimbabwe tested Sri Lanka in all the games and even won the second T20I.

The Lankans have a formidable bowling unit with Hasranga and Theekshana both available for selection. Pacers Dilshan Madushanka and Dusmantha Chameera are also available for selection. The batting is taken care of by Mendis himself. Sadeera Samarawickrama, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka and Avishka Fernando. 

Recent Venue Records (Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele)

STATS – ODI

Total matches 39

Matches won batting first 15

Matches won bowling first 22

Average 1st Inns scores 248

Average 2nd Inns scores 200

Highest total recorded 363/7 (50 Ov) by RSA vs SL

Lowest total recorded 70/10 (24.4 Ov) by ZIM vs SL

Highest score chased 314/6 (49.4 Ov) by SL vs AFG

Lowest score defended 206/9 (36 Ov) by WI vs SL

Who Will Score Most Runs For Sri Lanka: Kusal Mendias / Pathum Nissanka

Who Will Take Most Wickets For Sri Lanka: Wanindu Hasaranga / Maheesh Theekshana

Who Will Score Most Runs For Afghanistan: Rahmat Shah / Ibrahim Zadran 

Who Will Take Most Wickets For Afghanistan: Noor Ahmad / Fazalhaq Farooqi

SL vs AFG Today Match Prediction- 1st ODI, Who Will Win Today’s ODI Match? 2024

The head to head count is very eve between the two teams. However, Sri Lanka playing at home has the upper hand heading into the SL vs AFG 1st ODI. Sri Lanka to win the match.

Also Read: Virat Kohli to miss 3rd and 4th Tests against England, uncertain for 5th Test in Dharamsala

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Sri Lanka after beating Afghanistan in the only Test is now gearing up for the ODI series. They will be led by Kusal Mendis who has his white-ball regulars available for the series. Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dusmantha Chameera, and Dilshan Madushanka form the bowling core.

Sri Lanka after enduring a lopsided performance in the World Cup had their leadership changed across formats. Kusal Mendis was named the ODI captain, Hasaranga the Test captain and Dhananjaya de Silva the Test captain. Sri Lanka played an ODI series against Zimbabwe recently and was pushed to the brink. They won the series 2-1 but Zimbabwe tested them to the limits.

This is what makes them a vulnerable side even in their home conditions. Afghanistan have played 12 ODI matches against Sri Lanka winning four and losing seven matches. They have a chance to add to this tally in this series.

Afghanistan will be led by Hasmatullah Shahidi. The white-ball side has all the key players back. Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmaullah Gurbaz, and Rahmat Shah for the batting core. Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, and Gulbadin Naib are the all-rounders, and Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, and Qais Ahmad form the bowling core. Rashid Khan is absent from the series as he is still recovering from his lower back injury.

Also Read: Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma! Mohammed Shami answers who’s the best and who’s the most dangerous

Afghanistan last played ODI cricket in the World Cup where they won four games in the tournament. They defeated Pakistan Netherlands, England, and Sri Lanka in the tournament. They also had a chance to beat Bangladesh in the tournament but could not. last they played a T20I series against India that they lost.

Sri Lanka and Afghanistan have played 12 ODIs with the Lankans winning seven matches and the Afghans four. In five T20I between the two sides, Sri Lanka have won three and Afghanistan two.

SL vs AFG Head To Head Records (Overall Stats)

SL vs AFG Head To Head Records In Tests

SL vs AFG Head To Head Records In ODIs

SL vs AFG Head To Head Records In T20Is

SL vs AFG Head-to-Head Records in ODIs- 1st ODI, 2024

Matches Played: 12

Afghanistan Won-4

Sri Lanka Won-7

Most Runs For Sri Lanka- Pathum Nissanka-342

Most Wickets For Sri Lanka- Kasun Rajitha-12

Most Runs For Afghanistan- Ibrahim Zadran- 498

Most Wickets For Afghanistan- Rashid Khan- 12

Also Read: Nasser Hussain calls out Ben Stokes for his take on controversial DRS decision of Zak Crawley

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The series between the two teams consists of a one-off Test match, a three-match T20I series, and a three-match ODI series. The teams will first lock horns in the Test match from February 28 to March 3 in Abu Dhabi.

The focus will next shift towards the three ODI matches, which will be played on March 7, 9, and 12 in Sharjah. At last, the teams will go head-to-head in the T20I series on March 15, 17 and 18 in Sharjah.

Notably, the upcoming Test match between the Ireland National Cricket Team and Afghanistan National Cricket Team will be only the second time that these two sides will lock horns with the first Test between the teams coming way back in 2019 which saw the Afghanistan National Cricket Team emerge victorious by a margin of 7 wickets.

Meanwhile, the Ireland National Cricket Team will be supported in the Afghanistan series by the coaching staff that consists of head coach Heinrich Malan, batting coach Gary Wilson, pace bowling coach Ryan Eagleson, and spin bowling coach Chris Brown.

Also, the regular captains in Andrew Balbirnie and Paul Stirling will take charge of the teams with the former leading in one-off Test matches and Stirling leading in limited overs series.

The Ireland selection committee has included four new faces in the Test squad in Matthew Foster, Barry McCarthy, Theo van Woerkom, and Craig Young while in the white-ball squad, Matthew Foster is the only player who is yet to play international cricket.

Speaking about the Test cricket journey of Ireland, it began in in 2018 and so far they have just played 7 Test matches with the latest one coming against England in 2023. Afghanistan have also had a journey very similar to Ireland in Test cricket as they started playing the purest format of the game in 2018 and have played just 8 Test matches so far with the latest one coming against Sri Lanka in February 2024.

Complete Ireland Test, ODI, T20I Squads For Afghanistan Series

Test squad: Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Matthew Foster, Graham Hume, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, PJ Moor, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Theo van Woerkom, Craig Young

ODI squad: Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Matthew Foster, Graham Hume, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Paul Stirling (c), Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Theo van Woerkom, Craig Young

T20I squad: Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Paul Stirling (c), Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young

Full Series Schedule:

Only Test – 28 February – 3 March, Abu Dhabi; 10am start time

1st ODI – 7 March, Sharjah; 3.30pm start time

2nd ODI – 9 March, Sharjah; 3.30pm start time

3rd ODI – 12 March, Sharjah; 3.30pm start time

1st T20I – 15 March, Sharjah; 8pm start time

2nd T20I – 17 March, Sharjah; 8pm start time

3rd T20I – 18 March, Sharjah; 8pm start time

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After conceding a big lead of 241 runs in the first innings, Afghanistan had their back against the wall. They needed a solid start with the bat and got exactly that. Opener Ibrahim Zadran scored a century and shared century-plus stands with Noor Ali Zadran and Rahmat Shah to put his team in a solid position before they suffered an inexplicable collapse.

Ibrahim and Noor Ali added 106 runs for the first wicket. Vishwa Fernando broke the stand by dismissing Noor Ali for 47. It was followed by a 108-run stand between Ibrahim and Shah. Kasun Rajitha ended the stand by sending back Shah for 54. Ibrahim, on the other end, completed a fine century before becoming the third Afghanistan wicket to fall.

SL vs AFG: Afghanistan collapse

Ibrahim’s departure triggered a collapse for the tourists as they struggled to deal with the second new ball. The last six players could not even touch the 5-run mark as Afghanistan lost their last 7 wickets for just 50 runs. Prabath Jayasuriya was the destructor-in-chief for the hosts as he ran through Afghanistan’s middle and lower order.

The left-arm spinner finished with figures of 5 for 107 while Asitha Fernando claimed 3 wickets. Set a target of 56 runs, Sri Lanka crossed the finishing line inside eight overs. Dimuth Karunaratne scored 32 off 22 balls while Nishan Madushka scored 22 off 23.

Earlier in the game, Afghanistan were bowled out for 198 runs in their first innings after Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first. Barring Rahmat Shah (91), no other batter could even touch the 40-run mark during the poor batting display. For Sri Lanka, Vishwa Fernando picked up 4 wickets while Asitha and Jayasuriya took 3 wickets each.

In reply to Afghanistan’s modest first-innings total, Sri Lanka piled up 439 runs. Angelo Mathews (141) and Dinesh Chandimal (107) led their team’s charge with the bat by scoring impressive centuries. For Afghanistan, Naveed Zadran claimed 4 wickets.

SL vs AFG scorecard:

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