Afghanistan cricket team will be without their star spinner Rashid Khan during the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka. Rashid will not be able to take part in the first two matches of the three-game ODI series due to a lower back injury.
Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad and Mohammad Nabi will take care of Afghanistan spin bowling department in the absence of the star leggie.
Afghanistan had played their last ODI in November last year. Under the leadership of Hashmatullah Shahidi, the tourists will kick off the ODI series against Sri Lanka on Friday in Hambantota.
Having earned a direct qualification for the World Cup, Afghanistan will now look to prepare for the showpiece event.
While Afghans have already entered the World Cup, Sri Lanka are yet to earn punch their ticket for the marquee event, scheduled to be played in India later this year.
The ODI series against Afghanistan will be Sri Lanka’s first appearance in the 50-over format since March. In their last ODI outing, Sri Lanka were thrashed 2-0 by New Zealand.
Later this month, Sri Lanka will take part in the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe.
Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Dream11 Prediction
Captain: Kusal Mendis
Vice-captain: Wanindu Hasaranga
Wicketkeepers: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Kusal Mendis
Batters: Angelo Mathews, Pathum Nissanka, Najibullah Zadran, Ibrahim Zadran,
Allrounders: Wanindu Hasaranga, Dhananjaya de Silva, Mohammad Nabi
Bowlers: Mujeeb ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Probable XIs
SL Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis (wk), Angelo Mathews, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kasun Rajitha, Maheesh Theekshana
AFG Probable XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Full Squads
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Chamika Karunaratne, Dushan Hemantha, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Theekshana
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhail (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Abdul Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Ahmad Malik