World Cup 2023: Injury-hit Sri Lanka to face Afghanistan's mighty spin challenge

An injury-affected Sri Lankan side will draw swords with Afghanistan and it will be a do-or-die contest for both teams as a defeat might knock them out of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

Pune (Maharashtra): Although Sri Lanka will miss their key pacer Lahiru Kumara due to a muscle injury in the league stage game of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 against Afghanistan on Monday, they will be riding high on confidence thanks to their two consecutive wins.

Lahiru Kumara suffered a left-thigh muscle injury during the training session and so he will miss the rest of the marquee tournament for the national side. Pacer Dushmantha Chameera has been roped in as a replacement by the Sri Lankan side and they would like to continue their propensity to battle against all odds.

Both of the teams have kept themselves alive in the race to semi-final but one more loss can hurt their chances to advance into the next stage of the marquee tournament. Afghanistan have proved their mettle registering shock wins over England and Pakistan in the tournament. Thus, Sri Lanka will not take the Afghan challenge lightly considering the quality of spinners they possess in their ranks.

The Islanders dished out a clinical bowling effort in the last game against England to topple the defending champions and so they will definitely feel the absence of their key pacer Lahiru Kumara.

Veteran Angelo Matthews put in an impressive performance in the last game taking a couple of wickets and they will expect the all-rounder to step up on the occasion once more.

Pacers Dilshan Madushanka and Kusan Rajitha have scalped 11 and 7 wickets so far in the tournament for the Sri Lankan side and the duo will be expected to play a decisive role in role on Monday at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium here. Also, offie Maheesh Theekshana has been prolific with his spin in the competition so far.

Batters Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama would like to continue their form from their last game against England as the duo scripted a superlative chase to outwit the defending champions the other day.

Afghanistan have already defeated England and Pakistan and they would like to run through the Sri Lankan line up. The Afghans' batters dished out an impressive show in the game against Pakistan with their highest successful chase in the ODIs.

Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been the team's best batter with 224 runs, but Ibrahim Zadran, skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, and Rahmat Shah have also made vital contributions in the last game and they will be looking forward to playing their roles to perfection.

Pacers Naveen-ul-Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi can provide Sri Lanka early blows and spin department is handled by world-class bowlers like Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. The wicket at the MCA stadium is likely to be a paradise for batters and a 300-plus total is expected in the game.

Afghanistan have won just three matches out of 11 ODIs they have played against Sri Lanka but they haven't been able to beat their opposition in the ODI World Cups. In the ODI World Cups, Sri Lanka has beaten Afghanistan on both occasions.

Squad: Sri Lanka: 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.

Afghanistan: 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.