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Preview:
As teams in Group 1 of the Super 12s deal with washouts and unexpected results, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have reached the proverbial edge of the cliff. One wrong step and they'll have to pack their bags and return home, while one in the right direction doesn't automatically guarantee progress. With a week left in the group stage, the two bottom-placed sides are feeling the full force of the group of death.
Sri Lanka have one win in three games and Afghanistan's two points are from two washouts, and yet there's very little to separate the two sides. They've had recent tussles against each other in the Asia Cup and each side will take confidence from their respective wins in that tournament.
In the one game they've played, Afghanistan were uncharacteristically timid with the bat. The top-order flamboyance went missing and the tentativeness percolated through to all phases of the game for them. Sri Lanka meanwhile, flexed their muscles in two of the three first round fixtures, but that has faded away in the Super 12s against mightier opponents. They began with a win over Ireland but Australia and New Zealand exposed their frailties with both bat and all. The Afghanistan game brings the opportunity to reset and kick on.
When: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka, ICC men's T20 World Cup 2022, November 1, 02:00 PM Local time
Where: The Gabba, Brisbane
What to expect: A cloudy morning and a high chance of rain and thunderstorm that is likely to impact the first game on Tuesday.
T20I head to head: Sri Lanka have won two of the three meetings in this format. In T20 World Cups, they faced each other just once with Sri Lanka coming up trumps. More recently, the two faced each other in this year's Asia Cup, where they won a game each.
Team Watch
Afghanistan
Injured/Unavailable: Opener Hazratullah Zazai has been ruled out of the remainder of Afghanistan's campaign due to abdominal and kidney concern. Gulbadin Naib, who has replaced Zazai in the 15-member squad, is likely to play his first T20I in nearly a year.
Tactics & Match-ups: Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been devastating in his two outings against Sri Lanka - smashing 40 off 18 in one and 84 off 45 in the other.
Probable XI: Gulbadin Naib, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Usman Ghani, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Sri Lanka
Injured/Unavailable: There are no more additions to the piling list of injuries.
Tactics & Match-ups: Bhanuka Rajapaksa enjoyed his last two outings against Afghanistan - hitting 38(29) and 31(14) - and could view Monday's meeting to revive his underwhelming World Cup campaign so far.
Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara
What they said:
"We know it's an important game for us. And we are trying to do our best and we need to win this. We know that." - Kasun Rajitha
Squads:
Sri Lanka Squad: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Ashen Bandara, Asitha Fernando
Afghanistan Squad: Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Usman Ghani, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Qais Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Saleem Safi
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