In an imminent clash of wills in the Asia Cup 2023, Afghanistan find themselves in the unenviable position of needing to beat Sri Lanka (AFG vs SL) by a significant margin to change their fortunes.
The upcoming match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in the Asia Cup 2023 is of great importance, serving as the decider to decide which team from Group ‘B’ advances to the coveted Super Four stage. Sri Lanka started their campaign on a winning note, dispatching Bangladesh in the opening encounter, collecting two valuable points.
However, in the subsequent clash, Bangladesh emerged victorious against Afghanistan, not only securing two points but also a commanding lead in the net run rate department. In stark contrast, Afghanistan’s ledger is devoid of victories and points.
Their only recourse is to beat Sri Lanka in the next match; Defeat would condemn them to a humiliating exit without a point to their name. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka stand on the way to the Super Four, poised as the vanguard of Group ‘B’, with Bangladesh close behind with four points.
If Afghanistan manage to overcome the formidable challenge posed by Sri Lanka (AFG vs SL), it will start a situation where Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have two points each. The criteria for progress will then be based on a complex calculus of net run rates.
Currently, Afghanistan languish in negative territory, while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are in positive run rate territory. Consequently, the mission in Afghanistan goes beyond mere conquest; They will have to eclipsing the run rate of Sri Lanka or Bangladesh and get a great win. A tough task considering Bangladesh’s outstanding performance, in which they scored over 300 runs against Afghanistan in their last encounter.
Adding to Afghanistan’s woes is the stunning form of their talisman match-winner Rashid Khan. Against Bangladesh, Rashid was far from impressive, conceding an astonishing 66 runs without managing a single scalp.
Along with Rashid, veteran spinner Mujeeb has the onus to suppress Sri Lanka’s pace. Afghanistan’s medium-pace bowling arsenal may not be an anomaly, but it is their opening pair of Rahimutullah and Ibrahim Zadran who offer hope through their assured batting prowess.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka are struggling with a poor batting lineup in the top order, which failed against Bangladesh. A revival in form becomes inevitable. Pathirana, a four-wicket hero with the ball, was instrumental in scripting Sri Lanka’s victory.
A nagging question arises: Will the spinner adopt a similar strategy in the opening overs? Afghanistan’s captain, Shahidi, is firm in his aspirations for a win against Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Lineup for AFG vs SL match:
Shanaka (Captain), Nissanka, Karunarane, Perera, Mendis, Aslanka, De Silva, Samarawickrama, Tikshana, Velalge, Pathirana, Rajitha, Hemanth, Fernando and Madushan.
Afghanistan Lineup for AFG vs SL match:
Shahidi (capt), Ibrahim Zadran, Alikhil, Najibullah Zadran, Gurbaz, Hasan, Naib, Janat, Nabi, Rahmat Shah, Rashid Khan, Ashraf, Abdul Rehman, Farooqui, Saleem, Mujeeb, Noor Ahmed.
In this high-stakes encounter, Afghanistan tries to reshape their destiny, armed with an unbreakable spirit and a strong will to win.
