Two of Asia’s cricketing giants, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, are set for an exciting ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 clash on Monday at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. This will be the third time these two teams meet in Cricket World Cup history, with Sri Lanka having won both previous encounters in 2015 and 2019.
However, this Afghan side comes into the match full of confidence, having won all five of their Super 12 matches so far to sit atop the 10-team standings. Led by the world’s top-ranked T20I bowler Rashid Khan, Afghanistan possesses a formidable spin attack that has bamboozled opponents.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, sits in a precarious position at number 9 on the table. Their progression to the semi-finals hangs by a thread, and they desperately need wins from here on out. With so much on the line for both teams, fans can expect a thrilling contest between two passionate cricketing nations.
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Afghanistan Overview
Afghanistan has named a strong 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup, led by veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi. The batting lineup features emerging talents like Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hazratullah Zazai and Ibrahim Zadran, while the bowling is headlined by superstar spinner Rashid Khan.
With over 100 T20I wickets to his name already, the 24-year-old Rashid will be Afghanistan’s trump card. His perfect mix of leg-breaks, googlies and flippers have made him one of the most feared bowlers in limited-overs cricket.
Rashid has excellent support in the spin bowling department from the likes of Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Qais Ahmad. The variety in Afghanistan’s attack, supplemented by quality pacers like Naveen-ul-Haq, makes them a well-balanced side capable of beating any opponent on their day.
Sri Lanka Overview
Sri Lanka have named a younger 15-member squad for this T20 World Cup, looking to rebuild after a difficult 2021 that saw senior pros like Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal excluded. The side will be captained by the seasoned Dasun Shanaka, while dynamic opening batter Pathum Nissanka has been named vice-captain.
Sri Lanka’s batting hopes will revolve around the experienced Dinesh Chandimal and upcoming youngster Charith Asalanka. The bowling attack features mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana, who impressed in his debut year in 2021 with his carrom balls. He will partner the express pace of Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara.
Overall, it is a fresh new-look Sri Lankan side, with some promising young players looking to make their mark on the world stage. But the lack of experience could hamper the side when facing tough opposition.
Afghanistan vs. Sri Lanka Starting XI
Expected Starting XI for Afghanistan:
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz
- Ibrahim Zadran
- Rahmat Shah
- Hashmatullah Shahidi (c)
- Mohammad Nabi
- Ikram Alikhil (wk)
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Rashid Khan
- Naveen-ul-Haq
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman
- Noor Ahmad
Expected Starting XI for Sri Lanka:
- Kusal Perera
- Kusal Mendis (c & wk)
- Sadeera Samarawickrama
- Charith Asalanka
- Dilshan Madushanka
- Pathum Nissanka
- Dhananjaya de Silva
- Angelo Mathews
- Maheesh Theekshana
- Kasun Rajitha
- Lahiru Kumara
- Dushan Hemantha
Both teams have strong batting lineups, with Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz looking in good form. Sri Lanka will bank on Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka for runs. The key battle will be between Rashid Khan and the Sri Lankan batsmen – if he gets wickets, Afghanistan become favourites.
See the confirmed starting lineups below an hour before the match starts.
Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka Head-to-Head
Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have faced each other in 11 ODI matches so far, with Sri Lanka leading the head-to-head 7-3, along with one no result. However, Afghanistan has never won an ODI match against Sri Lanka away from home soil.
In terms of individual player records, Sri Lankan opener Kusal Mendis has an excellent record against the Afghans, scoring 342 runs in 5 ODI innings at an average of 114.00 against them with a top score of 116. Angers Mathews also enjoys playing against the Afghan attack, having scored 265 runs in 4 innings.
For Afghanistan, the bowling hero has been Rashid Khan. In 5 ODIs against Sri Lanka, he has taken 18 wickets at an incredible average of 7.66. With the bat, Rahmat Shah has been the standout, scoring 196 runs in 4 innings at 49.00 against the Lankans.
Overall, Afghanistan’s lack of success in Sri Lanka will be a concern, but they come into this match in red-hot form. The Afghan spinners could give the struggling Lankan batting lineup nightmares.
Weather & Pitch Report
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka will be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The weather forecast predicts hot and dry conditions, with temperatures around 31 degrees Celsius. The humidity levels are expected to be moderate around 40-45%.
The pitch at the MCA Stadium in Pune is usually an excellent one for batting in ODIs. The ball comes on nicely to the bat, and strokeplay is easy in the powerplay overs. However, as the match progresses, the surface slows down and starts assisting spin. In the 2019 IPL, the stadium had the highest average score out of all venues – 185 runs per match.
The shorter square boundaries also encourage batsmen to play their strokes freely. However, the presence of Rashid Khan and Maheesh Theekshana means the spinners will come into play too. Dew could be a factor in the evening under lights. Overall, we can expect a fairly high-scoring game with the team batting first aiming for 300+ runs after a good start. The spinners will be crucial in the middle overs when the ball stops coming onto the bat.
Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka Prediction
Based on current form and squad strengths, Afghanistan deserve to be considered as the favorites in this crucial World Cup match. Their confidence must be sky high after five consecutive Super 12 victories. Rashid Khan and the spinners have been virtually unplayable, while the batting has also held up well.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s struggles are apparent as they sit just above the bottom two teams after four matches. Their batting has misfired badly, with Kusal Mendis the only consistent performer. The bowling has been decent but still lacking the potency to defend low totals.
The Lankans are also missing some key players like Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal and Binura Fernando due to injuries. These absentees only weaken the team further.
Afghanistan’s batting versus Sri Lanka’s bowling will be an intriguing battle. But the Afghanistan spinners versus the Sri Lankan batting could be a total mismatch that decides the fate of the game.
Considering Afghanistan’s current form and confidence, coupled with Sri Lanka’s struggles, the Afghans should be able to march to a sixth straight Super 12 victory.
Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka Betting Tip
My betting tip for this match is to place a wager on Afghanistan to win the match. At current odds of 2.36, they offer good value considering their red-hot form and favoritism coming into this game versus an out-of-sorts Sri Lankan side.
I would also recommend looking at the top batsman market for Afghanistan and placing a small wager on Rahmanullah Gurbaz to score the most runs for his team. At odds of 3.75, Gurbaz offers a juicy payout considering he already has two half-centuries in the tournament and looks to be in top batting form.
Finally, for a higher risk-higher reward option, consider putting a bet on Rashid Khan to take 3 or more wickets in the match. At current odds of 2.60, this is a tempting wager given Rashid’s domination of oppositions so far. He already has 12 wickets from 5 matches, and Sri Lanka’s famed struggles against quality spin bowling could see him grab another big haul.
With Afghanistan’s all-around form and balance, they deserve to be backed as winners. And betting on their in-form opener and star spinner could provide good value if they continue their sublime World Cup performances.
Bet on Afghanistan to win the match at Parimatch at odds 2.36>>
If you want to check out our other Cricket World Cup match predictions, you can find them on our site. In the meantime, you can check out how to bet on the Cricket World Cup.
