Match: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka, Cricket World Cup 2023 (AFG vs SL)
Date: October 30, Monday, 2.00 PM IST
Venue: Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
Afghanistan are riding high on confidence following their recent victory over Pakistan and is now setting its sights on another Asian opponent, Sri Lanka, in a match scheduled at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Monday.
Sri Lanka currently hold the fourth position in the points table with four points from five games, while Afghanistan stands in seventh place.
Afghanistan, no longer an associate team, has displayed its prowess with two significant victories against England and Pakistan, establishing themselves as formidable contenders. Their formidable spin quartet, featuring Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Mohammad Nabi, along with the batsmen, especially Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, have demonstrated good form in the recent matches.
Afghanistan enters the game fresh from an impressive eight-wicket win over Pakistan, with notable performances from Noor Ahmed and Naveen ul Haq with the ball, and a solid contribution from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, and Rahmat Shah with the bat in their successful chase of 283 runs.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka approaches this contest following an equally impressive eight-wicket victory over England. Their bowlers excelled in bowling out the defending champions for a mere 156 runs in just 33.2 overs, with Lahiru Kumara, who was awarded the Player of the Match, claiming three wickets. Subsequently, the Sri Lankan batsmen efficiently chased down the target in 25.4 overs, with Pathum Nissanka leading the way with an unbeaten 77.
Ahead of the 30th game of Cricket World Cup 2023, here’s everything you need to know to maximise your chances of winning cash prizes on MPL fantasy.
Weather update and pitch report for AFG vs SL, Cricket World Cup 2023
The pitch at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune is expected to be batting friendly, if we judge it by the World Cup matches played here so far. But the pacers also get assistance from the pitch. A total of eight ODI matches have been played here in the past, from which the average first innings score reads 300. Four of the eight n matches were won by the teams batting first. Four other were won by teams that batted second.
It will be mostly sunny in Pune on match day, with the maximum temperature reading 31 degrees Celsius. Rain is not forecast.
Afghanistan team news and predicted XI
Team news: Afghanistan will be back in action after a gap of nearly a week. They might field an unchanged XI, or they might bring in Fazalhaq Farooqi in place of Noor Ahmed.
Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman and Naveen ul Haq.
Predicted XI: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), 5 Azmatullah Omarzai, 6 Ikram Alikhil (wk), 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi
Sri Lanka team news and predicted XI
Team news: Sri Lanka’s list of injury woes has further increased as Lahiru Kumara, who was awarded the Player of the Match award in the previous game, has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament due to an injury. He has been replaced by Dushmantha Chameera. Dimuth Karunaratne may replace an out-of-form Kusal Perera.
Squad: Kusal Mendis (c), Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Angelo Mathews, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne.
Predicted XI: 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Perera/Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kusal Mendis (c, wk) 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva, 7 Angelo Mathews 8 Maheesh Theekshana, 9 Kasun Rajitha, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Dilshan Madushanka
Head-to-head record
In the 50-over format, the two sides have played against each other in a total of 11 matches, of which 7 were won by Sri Lanka. Afghanistan have 3 wins. One match. One match ended without a result.
Five players to watch out for
Here we list five players you must pick in your MPL fantasy XI for AFG vs SL, Cricket World Cup 2023
Pathum Nissanka – batsman, Sri Lankan
Pathum Nissanka, who is the third-highest run-scorer in ODIs this year, is also Sri Lanka’s top run-scorer in the 2023 World Cup. The opening batsman has scored 243 runs in five matches at an average of 60.75. In his previous outing, Nissanka scored an unbeaten 77 against England.
Kusal Mendis – wicketkeeper batsman, Sri Lanka
Kusal Mendis has scored the second-most runs for Sri Lanka in the tournament. Mendis has scored 229 runs in five matches at an average of 45.80. Mendis started the 2023 World Cup with 76 against South Africa and 122 against Pakistan, but he has scored only 31 runs combined in his last three innings and will be looking to five his best in this do-or-die game.
Sadeera Samarawickrama – batsman, Sri Lanka
Another Sri Lankan batsman to pick in your fantasy team is Sadeera Samarawickrama, who scored a century and two unbeaten half=centuries in five matches. He scored 109 against Pakistan, an unbeaten 91 against the Netherlands and an unbeaten 69 against England.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz – wicketkeeper batsman, Afghanistan
Although inconsistent, Gurbaz has still been the best batsman for Afghanistan in the on-going World Cup. The opener scored 47 against Bangladesh, 80 against England and more recently, 65 against Pakistan. The flamboyant batsman will be eyeing another big knock against Sri Lanka.
Ibrahim Zadran – batsman, Afghanistan
Ibrahim Zadran comes into this game after winning the Player of the Match award in the previous game against Pakistan – he scored 87 off 113. In the four matches before this knock, he got starts but was not able to convert them. He scored 86 runs combined in the first four matches, before finding his mojo and scoring 87 in a single game.
AFG vs SL – MPL XI
AFG vs SL – where and what time to watch the match live in India
The Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka ODI will be televised on the Star Sports Network in India. You can also watch the game on the Disney + Hotstar app as well as the Jiocinema app. The match will begin at 2.00 PM IST on October 30.
Check out our detailed guide on fantasy cricket for more tips and tricks. https://www.mpl.live/blog/todays-match-prediction/
Note: The players recommended here need not be a part of the Playing 11 on game day. Users are advised to do their own research also and follow official sources and create their teams.
