<strong>Cricket Prediction | Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan | 1st ODI | Feb 09 – Can the visiting AFG win against the Lankans in the 1st ODI?</strong>

SL vs AFG Match Analysis

By a margin of ten wickets, Sri Lanka has won the Test match. They’ll try to capitalize on this momentum to get the three-match ODI series off to a fast start. After their terrible World Cup performance, this is the team’s first ODI series, and they’ll be trying to regain lost prestige. The Afghans will aim to perform well and move behind their defeat in the Test match. 

Sri Lankans will need to play to their strengths in this match because they haven’t had much luck in ODI cricket in recent years. The Afghans have a potent top order and a potent bowling assault. The teams are evenly matched, so we anticipate a competitive game that will come down to the wire.

SL vs AFG Team Preview & Squads

Sri Lanka

Kusal Mendis wants to capitalize on the team’s victory in the Test match momentum. Mendis wants to move past their recent struggles in ODI cricket, which have been difficult. The Sri Lankan captain will try to take advantage of the home crowd and start the series on a high note after the Afghans caused them problems in prior games. 

Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando hold significant positions at the top, and the team anticipates that they will perform well. Mendis’s goal is to do well in the middle order and form alliances with Charith Asalanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama. Wanindu Hasaranga and Chamika Karunaratne are both strong hitters, therefore the team will count on them to score runs quickly.

Early wickets will be crucial to the team’s success, therefore Dushmantha Chameera and Dilshan Madushanka must put up a strong performance with the new ball. The team is much better off with Wanindu Hasaranga back, who will hope to perform well in the middle overs alongside Maheesh Theekshana. In the supporting roles, Dunith Wellalage and Chameera will aim to perform effectively.

Sri Lanka Squads

Sri Lanka

Kusal Mendis (c & wk), Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Avishka Fernando

Afghanistan

The team led by Hashmatullah Shahidi will try to get past the defeat in the Test match. Having defeated Sri Lanka in the World Cup, the Afghan captain hopes that his team would draw motivation from that victory. Playing aggressively against the Sri Lankan spinners is what Shahidi wants his batsmen to do. 

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, the openers, are playing well and will try to get off to a solid start. The team has a solid middle order, and Rahmat Shah, Shahidi, and Raiz Hassan should all put in strong performances. Strong hitters like Gulbadin Naib and Muhammad Nabi support the batting order. 

The team will be hoping for strong performances from Mujeeb ur Rahman and Fazalhaq Farooqi, who have performed well in previous games, with the new ball. The loss of Rashid Khan is significant, and Qais Ahmed needs to do well against Nabi in the middle overs. Rahmat Shah and Gulbadin Naib will aim to perform well in the supporting roles.

Afghanistan Squads

Afghanistan

Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmed, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Gulbadin Naib, Rahmat Shah, Raiz Hassan, Mujib ur Rahman, Qais Ahmed

SL vs AFG outfield report

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele

The surface is slow in the second half, but it’s a decent wicket to bat on at the beginning. In the second innings, it will be challenging to bat against the spinners. The team that wins the toss would try to bat first to capitalize on the circumstances.

Pallekele would have clear skies, and we would anticipate favorable weather. This wicket has yielded many runs in the past because batsmen can freely play their strokes. In this match, the team batting first would need to score more than 300 runs to successfully defend the total.

SL vs AFG Head-to-Head Stats of Last 5 Matches

In their last five ODI matches, SL won thrice and AFG won twice.

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Prediction

Winning the toss

• Sri Lanka

Player of the Match

• Sri Lanka – Pathum Nissanka

Most runs

• Sri Lanka – Pathum Nissanka
• Afghanistan – Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Most wickets

• Sri Lanka – Dushmantha Chameera
• Afghanistan – Mujib ur Rahman

Most sixes

• Sri Lanka – Pathum Nissanka
• Afghanistan – Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Team Scores Batting First

• Sri Lanka – 300+
• Afghanistan – 290+

According to cricket analysts, Sri Lanka has a 67% chance of winning.

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