The Asia Cup 2022 will kick off with the contest between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan on August 27. Sri Lanka may have a slight advantage in batting with some polished batters in the lineup. Afghanistan, on the other hand, is banking heavily on its bowling strength. This game should be intriguing given that both sides have evenly balanced rosters. The Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan first match preview is discussed in this article.
Where will Sri Lanka and Afghanistan play their opening Group B match?
Only two venues in the United Arab Emirates will host the six-nation Asia Cup 2022 tournament. These two venues are: the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai and the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah. The inaugural match of the fifteenth edition of the Asia Cup event between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka will be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The match will start at 8 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).
Head-to-Head T20I records between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan
So far, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan have only met once in the T20 format during the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 in India. Sri Lanka won that contest at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens by 6 wickets. Here are some notable h2h individual T20 statistics between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.
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H2H Individual Twenty20 Stats between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka
| Sri Lanka | Afghanistan | |
| Most Runs | Tillakaratne Dilshan (83) | Asghar Stanikzai (62) |
| Fifties | Tillakaratne Dilshan (1) | Asghar Stanikzai (1) |
| Most Sixes | Tillakaratne Dilshan (3) | Asghar Stanikzai (4) |
| Most Wickets | Thisara Perera (3) | Mohammad Nabi (1), Rashid Khan (1) |
| Most Catches | Dushmantha Chameera (1), Thisara Perera (1), Lahiru Thirimanne (1) | Samiullah Shinwari (1) |
| Highest Partnership | Tillakaratne Dilshan, Angelo Mathews (42*) | Asghar Stanikzai, Samiullah Shinwari (61) |
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
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Group B Match 1 (Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan): Venue Stats
The Asia Cup 2022 opening match between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka will be played at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, which regularly hosts T20 matches. The teams from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have played at this venue before. Let’s take a look at some of the key stats of the Dubai cricket stadium.
Matches Played (T20I): 75 | Batting First (won): 35 | Fielding First (won): 39 | Highest Individual innings: Martin Guptill (93) | Best Bowling (Innings): Imad Wasim (5/14) | Highest Team Innings: 211 | Lowest Team Innings: 55 | Highest Run Chased: 183/5
Sri Lanka’s T20 record at the DICS: Match: 3 | Win: 1 | Lost: 2
Afghanistan’s T20 record at the DICS: Match: 9 | Win: 6 | Lost: 3
Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan (Group B, Match 1): What would the playing XI look like?
Sri Lanka have some good options available in the batting line up. The Lankan think tank has to come up with the best possible options to make a strong batting order. Multiple sources have claimed that Sri Lanka want to include a left-arm spinner in the playing XI.
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Predicted Playing XI (Sri Lanka)
Top-Order: Danushka Gunathilaka, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa,
Middle-Order: Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis (wicket-keeper), Dasun Shanaka (captain), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne,
Lower-Order: Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka
In contrast, the Afghanistan team has a settled batting line-up. The Afghan campaign will be hoping batters show their ability on the battlefield. If the pitch offers more to the slower bowlers, they may incorporate as many as four spinners in the playing XI.
Predicted Playing XI (Afghanistan)
Top-Order: Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Ibrahim Zadran,
Middle-Order: Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (captain), Samiullah Shinwari, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat,
Lower-Order: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
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Pitch report and weather forecast for the first match of Asia Cup 2022
The month of August is usually the hottest month in the UAE. Saturday will be no exception, as the weather forecast suggests that the tournament’s opening day will be sunny and hot in Dubai. The ground usually has sporting pitches where both batters and bowlers can thrive. The team that has fielded first has won twelve out of thirteen matches since 2021. That is why the toss-winning captain may opt to field first here at this venue.
Verdict
The opening match of the Asia Cup 2022 between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan could be a tightly-contested match. Both teams possess a few exciting T20 format cricketers who have the ability to put in match-winning performances during the contest. Since the results of the group phase’s two games will decide the fate of a Super Four berth, the players of both sides may get nervous in the match. Whoever plays with confidence and remains determined to control the matchup will have a better chance to win it.
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