• Match: World Cup 2023, 30th Match, AFG vs. SL
• Date: 30 Oct 2023, Monday
• Time: 02:30 PM (BD)
• Live Streaming (BD): BTV, GTV, T Sports, Rabbithole
• Venue: Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi’s team heavily relies on their opening batsmen. In the two games where Afghanistan emerged victorious, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran formed partnerships exceeding 100 runs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz is the leading run-scorer for Afghanistan in the tournament, amassing 224 runs in five games at an impressive average of 44.80 and a strike rate of 101.36. Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi have also shown good form with the bat.

The bowling unit for Afghanistan has operated cohesively, resulting in wickets being distributed among the bowlers. Although spin remains the strong suit of the team, seam bowlers like Naveen-ul-Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi have also performed reasonably well.

Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka had a convincing victory over England in their previous encounter, securing an eight-wicket win in a largely one-sided match. Similarly, Afghanistan is coming off a morale-boosting eight-wicket triumph over Pakistan in their most recent game. As a result, the clash between these two confident teams promises to be an exciting contest.

Sadeera Samarawickrama has been the standout batsman for Sri Lanka in the tournament, amassing 295 runs in five matches at an impressive average of 98.33 and a strike rate of 106.50. He has notched up two half-centuries and one century, showcasing sublime form. While Kusal Mendis began the tournament strongly, he has somewhat faded in recent outings. Nevertheless, he has capably led the team in the absence of regular captain Dasun Shanaka.

Bowling has been Sri Lanka’s Achilles’ heel in the tournament, but they rose to the occasion against England, restricting Jos Buttler’s men to just 156 runs. This remarkable performance must have bolstered the morale of the relatively inexperienced bowling lineup, and they are likely to come out firing on all cylinders against the Afghan team.

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil (Wicket-Keeper), Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad.

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (C & WK), Kusal Perera, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka.

Sri Lanka has been grappling with injuries during the 2023 Asia Cup, and this trend continues in the current tournament. Nonetheless, they have managed to regain their winning form, which is a significant confidence booster. We anticipate that Sri Lanka will have the necessary strength to overcome Afghanistan in Pune.

In four out of the seven ODIs played at this venue, the team batting second emerged victorious. Therefore, it is predicted that both captains may opt to field first in this game.

The pitch at the Maharashtra Cricket Stadium in Pune is known for providing consistent pace and bounce, making it favorable for batting. A competitive or par score on this wicket is typically in the range of 320-350 runs.

The weather forecast for Monday afternoon indicates sunny and warm conditions, with some cloud cover expected later in the day. The humidity level is anticipated to significantly increase during the final third of the match.