World Cup 2019: Afghanistan vs Sri lanka match preview

Aliha Ejaz

June 04, 2019

CARDIFF: The seventh match of the ICC World Cup 2019 will be played today between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

In their opening matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, both teams suffered heavy defeats but it was Afghanistan who showed some fight before letting themselves down.

Batting has been the greatest trouble for Afghanistan in World Cup 2019 and that is actually what caused their misfortune in the first match.

Afghanistan´s Rashid Khan (2R) celebrates with teammates after dismissing lbw Australia´s Usman Khawaja for 15 during the 2019 Cricket World Cup group stage match between Afghanistan and Australia at Bristol County Ground in Bristol, southwest England, on June 1, 2019. Photo: AFP

Afghan batsmen are going to be up against one of the weakest bowling sides in the World Cup. Their best chance to win is to play their natural game.

On the other hand, the Sri Lankan team isn’t in their best form as there has been mayhem in the camp with a new member joining the squad last minute, changing captains and appalling performance leading up to this tournament.

Sri Lanka's Kusal Perera plays a shot during the 2019 Cricket World Cup group stage match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Sophia Gardens stadium in Cardiff, South Wales, on June 1, 2019. Photo: AFP

The Sri Lankan team has a good number of talented batsmen who can easily make the team win though they just have won one out of its last fifteen matches.

Weather conditions

The weather forecast isn’t good at all, as it's expected to be a wet day with outbreaks of rain throughout the morning and afternoon which means that we are going to struggle to get any cricket at all.

Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka ODI stats

Head to head matches: 3

Afghanistan won: 1

Sri Lanka won: 2

Tied: 0

Highest total: 249 by Afghanistan in 2018

Lowest total: 158 by Sri Lanka in 2018

Most wickets: NLTV Perera(SL) 9 wickets

Most runs: DPMD Jayawardene(SL) 287 runs in 2 matches

Afghanistan's squad for ICC World Cup 2019: Gulbadin Naib (c), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Noor Ali Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Afghan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hassan, Mujeeb ur Rahman

Sri Lanka's squad for ICC World Cup 2019: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Avishka Fernando, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Jeevan Mendis, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera (wk), Thisara Perera, Nuwan Pradeep, Dhananjaya de Silva, Milinda Siriwardana, Lahiru Thirimanne, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay