The first ODI between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan which is scheduled to commence today at Mahinda Rajapaksa International cricket stadium as a ( day game from 10am) and two key spinners of both sides Wanindu Hasaranga and Rashid Khan are out from their teams due to injuries.
Afghanistan team sources said Rashid Khan who came from IPL has been ruled out of the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka with a lower-back injury. The Afghanistan Cricket Board confirmed that “he will remain under full medical observation, and is expected to return for the final ODI on June 7”.
Wanindu Hasaranga injured his heel during the IPL and had a light training at Colombo. Wanindu is expected to join the Squad today and reach Hambantota tomorrow morning but his availability for second and third ODI has not been confirmed. Most probably Wanindu has a slight chance to play second ODI on June 4 (Sunday ) but a better chance of playing final ODI on June 7 according on medical advice.
Meanwhile Sri Lanka team led by Dasun Shanaka will put in maximum effort to win this Afghan series to get morale booster before the world cup qualifier cricket tournament which will commence on June 18 in Zimbabwe .We never underestimate the Afghan team and want to get first match win today and it will give a big boost for next two matches said Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka who joined the team from IPL .Both Sri Lanka and Afghanistan teams couldn’t train on Wednesday due to bad weather at Sooriyawewa and both teams had their final training sessions yesterday afternoon.
Sri Lanka have strong batting line up as test skipper Dimuth Karunaratne and experience Angelo Matthews have strengthend their batting . Karunaratne the most consistent test opener is in good form came to the ODI team after two years and he wants to make good comeback in this series .Both Karunaratne and Matthews have shown their skills at last week practice matches while opener Pathum Nissanka who came from injury recovery period is fit to play today as an opener and after long time Pathum and Dimuth will open the batting while inform Kusal Mendis ,Angelo Matthews, Charith Asalanka Dhananjaya de Silva are in good form to face Afghan attack .Asalanka who got married recently had his home coming ceremony on 31st joined the squad yesterday and he will make good innings with his recent form as a middle order batter.
Dushan Hemantha the leg spinner will replace Wanindu Hasaranga and this could be his debut ODI.Hemantha has ability to bat in the middle order and that is advantage for Sri Lanka team.
Maheesh Theekshana the mystery spinner is the key spinner today who always can make early damage while part time off spinner Dhananjaya de Silva also has big responsibility in the absence of Hasaranga
Meanwhile the baby of the side 21 year old Matheesha Pathirana who joined the Sri Lanka squad last Wednesday night is not sure to play the game today and it depends on after final training session yesterday. We had plan to play Pathirana from first ODI but he played IPL during one month long series and we have to look after him very well .This is ODI format and we have to use Pathirana very carefully ahead of the Zimbabwe qualifying world cup tournament said Senior official of SLC . If Pathirana does not play today Lahiru Kumara ,Kasun Rajitha and Dushmantha Chameera most probably will play as seamers while Hambantota ground has strong wind and bowlers have big challenge said senior official of SLC Meanwhile Afghanistan who already have get direct qualification for the world cup have busy schedule as they have to travel to Bangladesh. Just seven days after the Sri Lanka ODI series, Afghanistan are scheduled to play a one-off Test against Bangladesh in Chattogram.
Rashid Khan was recently involved in the IPL, where his side Gujarat Titans lost to Chennai Super Kings at the final while Rashid Khan was the tournament’s joint second highest wickets taker with 27 strikes but he wanted a rest after lower back injury said an official of Afghanistan team. However in Rashid’s absence, experienced Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and young wrist spinner Noor Ahmad will have to shoulder extra responsibility in the spin department.
Noor also had a successful IPL stint for Titans, grabbing 16 wickets from 13 games at an economy of 7.82. However, he has played only one ODI and one T20I for Afghanistan. He has good experience of Sri Lanka wickets having early LPL Tournament experience.
Afghanistan team led by Hashmatullah Shahidi have a well balanced side and they are in good touch int white ball format. The opener and wicket keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz is very hard hitting type batter having more franchise tournament experience while opener Ibrahim Zadran who hit two centuries against Sri Lanka at Pallekele last November during three match ODI series which ended in a 1-1 all draw is a big challenge for Sri Lankan bowlers.
Sri Lankan ODI squad: Dasun Shanaka (capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis , Angelo Matthews, Charith Asalanka Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Lahiru Kumara, Matheesha Pathirana, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Wanindu Hasaranga
Afghanistan ODI squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Abdul Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Ahmad Malik
Match Officials for the Afghanistan Tour of Sri Lanka 2023: Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle – ICC Chief Match Referee, Umpire Panel: Michael Gough –( Member – ICC Elite Panel of Umpires), Nitin Menon (Member – ICC Elite Panel of Umpires), Ruchira Palliyaguruge – ICC International Panel of Umpires), Lyndon Hannibal – ICC International Panel of Umpires) Prageeth Rambukwella (ICC International Panel of Umpires).