In the 30th match of the ODI World Cup 2023, Afghanistan (AFG) will take on Sri Lanka (SL) at MCA Stadium in Pune. Asian rivals will look to continue their winning run in the ongoing tournament, as Sri Lanka beat England in the last game. Meanwhile, Afghanistan beat Pakistan by eight wickets in Chennai last week.
It’s worth noting that a win here will help Sri Lanka stay in the fray of semi-finals. The team will need to win all of their remaining games to stay alive in the ongoing tournament. On the other hand, Afghanistan will need to continue their winning run to stay in the top eight to avoid facing qualifiers for the next edition of the tournament.
AFG vs SL: Match Details
Match – Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka, ODI World Cup 2023, 30th Match
Venue – MCA Stadium, Pune
Date and Time – Monday, October 30th, 2:00 PM (IST)
Live coverage details – Star Sports India HD and SD Channels, Disney Hotstar (OTT)
AFG vs SL: Pitch Report
The MCA Stadium provides an excellent opportunity for batters, owing to the use of black soil that maintains a favourable pitch throughout the match, allowing players to hit the ball with ease. With just 8 ODIs played at the ground, the average first-inning score stands at 301. There’s no inherent advantage for teams batting first or second, resulting in an even split of 4-4 in the results.
The highest score recorded here is 356/2 by India in 2017 against England, while the lowest total is 232 by India in 2013 against Australia. After observing the recent match, a high-scoring game is anticipated. As there is no clear pattern favouring chasing, the winning skipper may choose to play to their team’s strengths upon winning the toss.
AFG vs SL: Weather Report
Pune on Monday (October 30), and in the lead-up to the match, will remain free from any rain threat. The day is anticipated to be sunny, with temperatures reaching 33°C during the afternoon and gradually dropping to 26°C towards the closing stages. Unlike many other venues, Pune is not likely to experience significant dew, ensuring that the team chasing won’t gain an extra advantage.
AFG vs SL: Head to Head
Out of the 11 AFG vs. SL head-to-head meetings in ODIs, Sri Lanka holds the advantage, securing victory seven times against Afghanistan, who have won three times in these encounters, with one match ending in no result. In the last five matches, Sri Lanka has a 4-1 record against Afghanistan. In the seven wins for Sri Lanka, three came when chasing and four when batting first, with the most recent being a thrilling 2-run win in the Asia Cup. Meanwhile, Afghanistan has achieved two wins when batting first and one win when chasing.
Matches Played | 11 |
Afghanistan Won | 3 |
Sri Lanka Won | 7 |
No Result | 1 |
Tie | 0 |
AFG vs SL: Injury Updates
After making a comeback in the last game, Lahiru Kumara has been ruled out of the ongoing tournament. He has been replaced by Dushmantha Chameera. Meanwhile, Afghanistan doesn’t have any such injury concerns.
AFG vs SL: Probable Playing XI
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hasmatullah Shahidi (C), Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen Ul Haq, and Noor Ahmed
Sri Lanka: Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (c), Dhanjaya de Silva, Asalanka, Angelo Matthews, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Chamika Karunaratne, Dininuth Wellalage
Check out: Most Runs in World Cup History
AFG vs SL: Dream 11 Fantasy Teams
Grand League:
Wicketkeepers: Kusal Mendis (C), Sadeera Samarwickrama, Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Batters: Ibrahim Zadran, Pathum Nissanka
All-rounders: Angelo Mathews
Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Kusan Rajitha, Maheesa Teekshana, Dilshan Madhushanka (VC)
Head to Head:
Wicketkeepers: Kusal Mendis (C), Sadeera Samarwickrama, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (vc)
Batters: Ibrahim Zadran, Pathum Nissanka
All-rounders: Angelo Mathews, A Omrazai
Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Kusan Rajitha, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Dilshan Madhushanka