Asia Cup 2018: Match 3, Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan - Afghanistan Predicted XI

Afghanistan will start their campaign on Monday in the ongoing Asia Cup and the fast-improving team has a chance to seal their spot in the Super Four spot straight away. Their opponents Sri Lanka are under extreme pressure after losing the tournament opener against Bangladesh by 137 runs. This will be a do-or-die game for them and if Afghanistan manages to get better of them, the encounter between them and Bangladesh would be a dead rubber.

Though they must have realised that this won’t be a cakewalk for them by any means. Sri Lanka would be looking to give them a tough outing and stay alive in the competition. However, it will be important for the team led by Asghar Aghan to keep it simple and don’t take the pressure of the expectations. They have come a long way over the last few years and definitely, a win in this game for them won’t be considered as an upset.

Also, Afghanistan would be wanting to get their combination right straight away as they have got only a couple of matches to stake their claim.

Here we bring you Afghanistan’s predicted XI for this crucial match:

Openers (Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Ihsanullah Janat)

Mohammad Shahzad is known for his aggressive batting at the top of the order. But the teams have managed to get better of him of late. He will be under the pressure to perform from the word go with a backup wicketkeeper Munir Ahmed in the squad. Shahzad failed to make an impact in the two ODIs against Ireland and the chances might be limited for him in the near future.

Ihsanullah Janat is coming off an unbeaten half-century in the winning cause during their last tour. Only 20 years old, Janat is capable of playing a big knock and there will be no better occasion of notching up a three-figure score against Sri Lanka. With Shahzad out of form, the onus will be on him to keep the scoreboard ticking up front.

Middle-Order (Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan (c), Najibullah Zadran)

Rahmat Shah is rated very highly in Afghanistan. With an average of 37.88 in 47 ODIs so far, he is termed as one of the best batsmen in the current line-up. He had an average series against Ireland but will find it easier to bat in the heat of the UAE. Batting at three, he will have to take the responsibility of holding one end throughout the innings. Hashmatullah Shahidi is another exciting prospect for Afghanistan and he is the one to make amends if the top order collapses.

The skipper Asghar Afghan, previously Stanikzai, bats at 4 or 5 more often and plays a holding role. He makes sure that his team doesn’t give away the advantage and takes the game deep. He can also roll his arm over if needed and surprise the opposition with his medium-fast bowling. Najibullah Zadran is termed as the finisher of this team and can alter his game according to the situation. More often than not, he prefers to bat aggressively and it pays off on most occasions for him.

All-Rounders (Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib)

Mohammad Nabi is the veteran. He is the highest wicket-taker for his country in this format and his wily off-spin bowling troubles the oppositions. More than his bowling, Nabi’s batting is a huge plus for Afghanistan. He comes to bat lower down the order according to his standards but doesn’t complain. His exploits are very well known to the world and is a dangerous prospect for Sri Lanka.

Gulbadin Naib, interestingly, is the second pacer for his team. He batted at number three in one of the matches and did well. It remains to be seen if the batting order will be shuffled this time around. He likes to tonk the ball a fair way and also takes wickets with the ball in hand.

Bowlers (Rashid Khan, Aftab Alam, Mujeeb Ur Rahman)

Rashid Khan, the 19-year-old, has already become a legend for his country. His bowling has proved the most difficult task for the batsmen over the last few years. He was the Man of the Series in their last assignment and his spell will effectively decide the fate of Afghanistan in this competition. The same is the case with Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Even he is the mystery spinner and run through the opposition line-ups on his day.

Aftab Alam has grown with every match. The skipper hands the new ball to him and in favourable conditions, Alam threatens to trouble the batsmen. He will be expected to make the early inroads in this game and put Sri Lanka on the back foot early.

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