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ICC WC 2023: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan: Preview & Prediction
The ICC Cricket World Cup has entered that stage where every match from now will have a huge impact on the points table, especially for the teams that are in the bottom half. The 30th match of the tournament between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan is one such match that can decide the fate of both teams in the tournament as the neighbors have four points each and are in desperate need of a win to get out of the middle muddle in the points table. In this article, we will look at all the aspects of the match.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka are peaking just at the right time after a shaky start. Their bowling has looked complete in the last two matches and the addition of experienced all-rounder Angelo Mathews has come as a blessing in disguise for the Kusal Mendis-led side. The fast bowlers are picking wickets with the new ball and in the middle overs as well which was an area of concern for them in the first three matches. The batters have been in good form right from the start. The only challenge for Sri Lanka heading forward would be to maintain consistency and win their remaining matches to keep their hopes alive of qualifying for Semi-Final
Afghanistan
For Afghanistan, the match against Sri Lanka provides one more chance to cause another upset having won against England and Pakistan. But it won't be easy for them to beat Sri Lanka considering their bowling is in form and their batters are scoring runs. The onus will be on Afghan spinners for Afghanistan to have a chance of winning the match
Probable Playing XI
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Ikram Alikhil(wk), Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmed, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Sri Lanka: Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(c) (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka.
AFGHANISTAN KEY PLAYERS FROM PREVIOUS GAME OF ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP 2023
| Batsmen | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Ibrahim Zadran | 87 | 113 | 10 | 0 | 76.99 |
| Rahmat Shah | 77 | 84 | 5 | 2 | 91.67 |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | 65 | 53 | 9 | 1 | 122.64 |
| Bowlers | Overs | Maiden | Runs | wickets | economy |
| Noor Ahmed | 10 | 0 | 49 | 3 | 4.9 |
| Naveen ul Haq | 7 | 0 | 52 | 2 | 7,43 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 10 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 3.1 |
SRI LANKA KEY PLAYERS FROM PREVIOUS GAME OF ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP 2023
| Batsmen | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
| Pathum Nisanka | 77 | 83 | 7 | 2 | 92.77 |
| Sadeera Samarawickrama | 65 | 54 | 7 | 1 | 120.37 |
| Kusal Mendis | 11 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 91.67 |
| Bowlers | Overs | Maiden | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
| Lahiru Kumara | 7 | 0 | 35 | 3 | 5 |
| Kasun Rajitha | 7 | 0 | 36 | 2 | 5.14 |
| Angelo Mathews | 5 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 2.8 |
Head to Head Stats in ODIs
| Matches Played | 11 |
| Afghanistan won | 3 |
| Sri Lanka won | 7 |
| Tie | 0 |
| No Result | 1 |
Results Since 2014
| Match Date | Winner | Margin | Venue |
| Mar 3, 2014 | Sri Lanka | 129 runs | Mirpur |
| Feb 22, 2015 | Sri Lanka | 4 wickets | Dunedin |
| Sep 17, 2018 | Afghanistan | 91 runs | Abu Dhabi |
| Jun 4, 2019 | Sri Lanka | 34 runs | Cardiff |
| Nov 25, 2022 | Afghanistan | 60 runs | Pallekele |
| Nov 27, 2022 | no result | – | Pallekele |
| Nov 30, 2022 | Sri Lanka | 4 wickets | Pallekele |
Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka Top Performers
Most Runs
| Player Name | Runs |
| Ibrahim Zadran | 459 |
| Rahmat Shah | 349 |
| Pathum Nissanka | 296 |
| Kusal Mendis | 264 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 256 |
Highest Individual Score
| Batter | Score |
| Ibrahim Zadran (AFG) | 162 |
| Mahela Jayawardene (SL) | 100 |
| Kusal Mendis (SL) | 92 |
| Charith Asalanka (SL) | 91 |
| Pathum Nissanka (SL) | 85 |
Highest Average (min. 3 innings)
| Batter | Average |
| Ibrahim Zadran (AFG) | 65.57 |
| Charith Asalanka (SL) | 56.50 |
| Pathum Nissanka (SL) | 49.33 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga (SL) | 48.50 |
| Thisara Perera (SL) | 48.00 |
Most Centuries
| Batter | Centuries |
| Ibrahim Zadran (AFG) | 2 |
| Mahela Jayawardene (SL) | 1 |
Most Sixes
| Batter | Sixes |
| Mohammad Nabi (AFG) | 10 |
| Ibrahim Zadran (AFG) | 8 |
| Charith Asalanka (SL) | 5 |
| Kusal Mendis (SL) | 5 |
| Najibullah Zadran (AFG) | 5 |
Most Wickets
| Player Name | Wickets |
| Kasun Rajitha | 13 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 11 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 11 |
| Rashid Khan | 11 |
| Gulbadin Naib | 10 |
Best Bowling Figures
| Bowler | Figures |
| Thisara Perera (SL) | 5-55 |
| Mohammad Nabi (AFG) | 4-30 |
| Nuwan Pradeep (SL) | 4-31 |
| Rashid Khan (AFG) | 4-37 |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi (AFG) | 4-49 |
Best Bowling Average (Min 3 innings)
| Bowler | Average |
| Thisara Perera (SL) | 15.70 |
| Dushmantha Chameera (SL) | 17.71 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga (SL) | 17.90 |
| Rashid Khan (AFG) | 18.54 |
| Gulbadin Naib (AFG) | 22.80 |
Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
The wicket prepared for the game will favor the batting units. The spinners will have a pivotal role in the outcome of the match. The weather forecast for Monday’s match is going to be sunny with humidity around 35%.
Venue Stats
| Total matches | 8 |
| Matches won batting first | 4 |
| Matches won bowling first | 4 |
| Average 1st Inns scores | 300 |
| Average 2nd Inns scores | 278 |
| Highest total recorded | 356/7 (48.1 Ov) by IND vs ENG |
| Lowest total recorded | 232/10 (49.4 Ov) by IND vs AUS |
| Highest score chased | 356/7 (48.1 Ov) by IND vs ENG |
| Lowest score defended | 283/9 (50 Ov) by WI vs IND |
Toss Prediction
Both teams will be keen to win the toss, bat first, and post a competitive score on the board
The average first innings score at Pune is around 300 runs.
Dream 11 Fantasy Team
Wicketkeeper: Kusal Mendis (c)
Batters: Ibrahim Zadran, Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama (vc)
All-rounders: Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Mohammad Nabi
Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka
Match Result Prediction
We predict Sri Lanka to win the match
Image Credit: NDTV Sports
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