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Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan ODI II Tips - Opening strength for the visitors

By Sridhar Bhamidi

03 Jun 2023

Sridhar Bhamidi 03 Jun 2023

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Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan ODI II predictions to be played in Hambantota on Sunday morning, IST
Sri Lanka have lost 2 of their last 3 ODIs against Afghanistan
Afghanistan have won 6 of their last 7 completed ODIs
Ibrahim Zadran has 3 50+ scores in his last 4 ODIs against Sri Lanka
Wanindu Hasaranga has been Sri Lanka's highest wicket-taker in 3 of his 4 ODIs played here
Can lightning strike twice and Afghanistan wrap up the series?

Can Afghanistan wrap the series up with another win? (Getty Images)

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan ODI II

After a reality check in the first ODI, Sri Lanka need a win to stay alive in the series when they face Afghanistan on Sunday. This second game of the three-match series will be played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota on Sunday, June 4 starting at 10am IST.

Afghanistan played really well and made a mockery of the odds by trumping Sri Lanka on Friday. That they dominated the proceedings without their best player Rashid Khan, suggests a lot about their preparations. Sri Lanka are keeping their objectives clear – preparing for the World Cup qualifiers. Another surprise could be on the anvil, especially if Sri Lanka rotate their players. I am putting my money on Ibrahim Zadran once again.

Sri Lanka have lost 2 of their last 3 matches against Afghanistan (ODIs)
Afghanistan have won 6 of their last 7 completed matches (ODIs)
Ibrahim Zadran has scored 50s in 3 of his 4 matches played in Sri Lanka (ODIs)
Wanindu Hasaranga has been Sri Lanka’s highest wicket-taker – joint or alone – in 3 of his 4 ODIs in Hambantota (ODIs)

Head to Head

Friday’s win makes the Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan rivalry closer. Of the eight ODIs played so far, Sri Lanka have won four while Afghanistan have won three. One match was abandoned without result.

Sri Lanka Form

Sri Lanka looked rusty and out of touch crashing to an easy six-wicket loss in the first match. After a poor start that saw them fall to 84 for 4, Charith Asalanka’s 91 helped them recover to 268 all out.

The Lions had also seen a fifty from Dhananjaya de Silva, but pretty much everyone else flopped. There wasn’t much luck with the ball either, as only four wickets fell.

Kasun Rajitha took two wickets, but the spinners failed to put in a shift, led by debutant Dushan Hemantha.

Sri Lanka Team News

Captain Dasun Shanaka confirmed that they are going to rotate the squad irrespective of the results. Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera may make a comeback into the team. Lahiru Kumara hobbled off in the first ODI and could miss action here.

Afghanistan Form

Afghanistan showed that their absence from the format wasn’t detrimental to their performances. Fazalhaq Farooqi’s two wickets up top helped keep the Lankans under check.

The spinners shared three wickets between them but it was the surprising use of Noor Ahmad in the later overs that proved successful. The 269-run target could have been tricky but Ibrahim Zadran continued his love affair with this country.

He had able support from Rahmat Shah who stuck a fifty, while former captain Mohammad Nabi calmed the nerves late with a 27-run cameo.

Afghanistan Team News

Rashid Khan will still be out of contention for Afghanistan, who didn’t have any selection worries from the first match.

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan FAQs

Where can I watch the Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan live stream?

Our live streaming calendar shows you where to watch the Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan live stream.

What time does Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan start?

This Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan ODI II is being played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Hambantota on June 4, Sunday at 10:00am IST.

Verdict

Sri Lanka v Afghanistan - 2nd ODI

Sri Lanka seemed out of touch with the format as they failed to make the middle-overs count in the first ODI. Their fast bowlers looked inadequate and need to step up immediately with very little time remaining in the series. Afghanistan covered almost all the bases and should be confident of closing out the series.

The odds on an Afghanistan win are still very high, which is a surprise. Put a medium wager on the visitors winning this while Ibrahim Zadran is a good choice to top their batting charts. If Hasaranga is in the playing XI, back him to lead the bowling charts for Sri Lanka.