Sri Lanka hosts Afghanistan at Pallekele Stadium for the third and final One Day International,
with the visitors leading the series 1-0. Find out who will win this game of cricket in this article.
Sri Lanka Form
Sri Lanka was left frustrated in their last match after making a strong effort to limit the opposition
to just 228 runs. They were well on their way to leveling the series when rain interrupted the
game, leading to a no result. This outcome, however, was good news for Afghanistan, as it
confirmed their qualification for the 2023 World Cup. Sri Lanka’s hopes of qualifying are hanging
by a thread, as they are competing with Ireland, South Africa, and the West Indies for the final
qualifying position. The home team will be desperate for a win, not only to equal the series but
also to earn crucial points in their quest for World Cup qualification.
Afghanistan Form
Afghanistan surprised Sri Lanka in the first match by winning comfortably by 60 runs. This
victory was largely due to the impressive performances of their opening batsmen, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, who scored 53 and 106 runs, respectively. While the visitors will be pleased that they cannot lose the series, they may feel some disappointment regarding the collapse of their middle order in both matches. Most of their runs have come from the top three
batsmen, and they will be hoping for greater contributions from those in the middle and lower
order. In the second match, which was rained out, they lost their last seven wickets for just 69
runs and were bowled out.
Sri Lanka – Afghanistan Key Points
- Sri Lanka have won three of their last five One Day internationals.
- They lead Afghanistan 3-2 in the head to head match ups.
- Sri Lanka have won six of their last ten home matches.
Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Expert Picks
The home team has everything to fight for, as they need the points to qualify for the World Cup
and also wish to even the series. On the other hand, Afghanistan can play without pressure
since they have already secured their qualification. However, they will still aim for a win to clinch
the series victory. Despite this, we are backing the home team in this match.
