AFG vs SL: On Monday, Asian rivals Afghanistan and Sri Lanka will meet at Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in a key World Cup match. While Afghanistan seeks further World Cup success after defeating England and Pakistan, Sri Lanka is on the rise after victories over the Netherlands and England.
AFG vs SL Preview: Afghanistan will face Sri Lanka at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Monday, buoyed by yet another unexpected victory in the Cricket World Cup 2023. Afghanistan trounced Pakistan by eight wickets in Chennai on Monday, completing their second World Cup upset victory. The win over Pakistan came just a few days after Afghanistan stunned reigning champion England in Delhi. Afghanistan has won two ODI World Cups in a row for the first time, with victories over Pakistan and England.
The common component in both Afghan victories was opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The 21-year-old scored 80 off 57 balls against England, helping Afghanistan set a target of 285. He scored a solid 65 in 53 balls against Pakistan, giving his team a flying start in the chase.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman (3/51 vs England), Rashid Khan (3/37 vs England), Noor Ahmad (3/49 vs Pakistan), Ibrahim Zadran (87 in 113 deliveries vs Pakistan), Rahmat Shah (77 in 84 balls vs Pakistan), and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (48 in 45 balls vs Pakistan) have also played pivotal roles in the two victories.
Afghanistan’s chances of reaching the semi-finals remain remote, but the players will be tempted to win their third game of the tournament. However, they will face a difficult task when they face Sri Lanka, who are enjoying a revival in the competition.
Sri Lanka had a dismal start to the World Cup, losing three consecutive games. South Africa, Pakistan, and Australia all handed the Lankans crushing defeats. The injury to skipper Dasun Shanaka only exacerbated the former world champions’ problems.
But, in their previous two games, Sri Lanka have made it apparent that they intend to battle till the end of the league season. Sri Lanka defeated the Netherlands under stand-in captain Kusal Mendis, snapping a four-match losing record that began with the Asia Cup final loss to India. If the victory over the Netherlands did not speak volumes about the caliber of this Sri Lankan team, the team went on to defeat England to prove its worth.
Despite a shaky start to the World Cup, Sri Lanka’s campaign has been peppered with some outstanding individual efforts. Mendis, Shanaka, and Charithra Asalanka all scored fifty in Sri Lanka’s 429-run victory over South Africa.
Then, against Pakistan, Mendis hit the fastest century by a Sri Lankan in ODI World Cup history. Mendis was joined in the list of Sri Lankans with century in this World Cup by Sadeera Samarawickrama in the same match.
Dilshan Madushanka took three Australian wickets in rapid succession against Australia. Kasun Rajitha did not begin his World Cup campaign until Sri Lanka’s fourth match, but he came back with a four-wicket haul against the Dutch. Then, in the run chase, Samarawickrama hit a solid 91 to lead Sri Lanka to victory. Pathum Nissanka is the team’s Mr. Consistent. Nissanka is proving to be one of the World Cup’s best openers, having hit four fifties in a row. Nissanka’s most recent four scores are as follows: 77*, 54, 61, and 51.
At this point, Sri Lanka cannot afford to lose, and Afghanistan is daring to make an already spectacular campaign even more beautiful. The setting is set at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium for this underdog Asian rivalry to produce a mouthwatering encounter.
Key Players to watch in AFG vs SL
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan)
Rahmanullah Gurbaz has played a key role in Afghanistan’s two World Cup victories. If Gurbaz performs well at the top of the order, it instills confidence in the rest of the hitters. Whether setting targets or pursuing a total, Gurbaz’s runs are critical to Afghanistan’s cause.
Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka)
Pathum Nissanka has been one of the World Cup’s most dependable openers. His last four scores were 77*, 54, 61, and 51. Nissanka’s consistency can also be seen in the fact that he is one of just three hitters this year to have scored over 1000 runs in ODIs. Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma are the other two batters to have reached 1000 runs this year.
Possible playing XIs AFG vs SL
Afghanistan playing XI
Afghanistan’s strategy of fielding four frontline spinners succeeded flawlessly against Pakistan. The team is anticipated to retain the same lineup that defeated Pakistan.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad
Sri Lanka playing XI
Sri Lanka are unlikely to make changes to the lineup that faced England in Lucknow.
Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (c & wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka
Pitch
The match between India and Bangladesh was the first World Cup game played at this location. The pitch for that game was constructed for batting. This game will also feature a decent batting wicket.
Match time and where to watch
The match begins at 2 p.m. The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is being broadcast live and exclusively on Star Sports. The Disney+Hotstar app allows online spectators to follow the action.
Frequently asked questions
How many times afg beat india in t20?
India vs Afghanistan Head to Head in T20I
| Team | Afghanistan | India |
|---|---|---|
| Mat | 5 | 5 |
| Won | 0 | 4 |
| Lost | 4 | 0 |
| Draw | 0 | 0 |
How many times afg won world cup?
Afghanistan national cricket team
| Personnel | |
|---|---|
| World Cup appearances | 3 (first in 2015) |
| Best result | Group stage (2015, 2019) |
| World Cup Qualifier appearances | 2 (first in 2009) |
| Best result | Champions (2018) |
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