Afghanistan vs Pakistan. (Photo source: Twitter)
With two important tournaments coming up in the Asia Cup and the 50-over World Cup, Afghanistan and Pakistan will look to iron out the kinks when they face each other in a three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka. The first ODI is going to be played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota on Tuesday, August 22.
Beating Bangladesh in their own backyard is no mean feat, but Afghanistan managed to do the same last month when they won a three-match ODI series 2-1. In the second ODI, the opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran registered a record-shattering partnership of 256 runs. They will be key to Afghanistan’s chances as a good start at the top will allow the hard-hitters like Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi to express themselves lower down the order.
Rashid Khan opted to skip the Hundred to give his back some rest with a tough international schedule on the horizon. He is now fit and raring to go and will be the player to watch out for against Pakistan. The talismanic cricketer has improved his batting skills immensely in recent times, and facing the well-oiled Pakistani bowling attack could help him gauge his progress.
Pakistan have been a force to reckon with in international cricket over the years, but somehow they have managed to win the Asia Cup only twice. India and Sri Lanka have won the title on seven and six occasions, respectively. Babar Azam would be looking forward to motivating his team to do well against Afghanistan before beginning their journey in the much-awaited Asia Cup that begins on August 30.
Pakistan hosted New Zealand earlier this year and defeated the Kiwis 4-1 in the five-match ODI series. Fakhar Zaman was the man in form for Pakistan, finishing 363 runs in the five games with a staggering average of 90.75. The formidable pace troika Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf will be looking forward to giving the Afghan batters a tough time in the middle.
Pitch and conditions
The average first innings score in ODIs is 249 at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota. Nine matches have been won by teams batting first, while teams batting second have emerged victorious on 12 occasions. Pacers can be lethal with the new ball, while spinners can come into play as the game progresses.
Probable Playing XI For AFG vs PAK
Afghanistan
Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won’t be inclined to make too many changes to the side that did exceedingly well against Bangladesh. Giving the core players enough game time would be critical, as time is crucial with the impending Asia Cup and the subsequent World Cup fast approaching. However, the talented Noor Ahmad, who has returned to the squad for this series, will likely slot in.
Probable Playing XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad
Pakistan
Pakistan have a settled top three in Babar, Fakhar, and Imam-ul-Haq in their batting department, while the pace trio of Shaheen, Haris, and Naseem are automatic choices. Salman Ali Agha has recently been a star performer for Pakistan, and he will be looking to continue his purple patch. Saud Shakeel has returned to the ODI side after 16 months, and if he can replicate his Test performances in the 50-over format, it will bode well for the former World Cup winners.
Probable Playing XI: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed/Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah
AFG vs PAK Head-to-head
Played – 4, Afghanistan – 0, Pakistan – 4
AFG vs PAK Broadcast and Live Streaming Details
Match Timings: 03:00 PM IST
Live Streaming: FanCode
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