Sri Lanka will take on Afghanistan in the first match of Asia Cup 2022 on Saturday (August 27). The tournament is returning after a gap of 4 years. It’s last edition was held in 2018 which was a fifty-over format. This year the tournament as supposed to be hosted by Sri Lanka Cricket but the board showed its incapability to hold it in the island nation amid the massive economic crisis and various protests it has given birth to. Asia Cup 2022 is a six-nation tournament that includes Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, UAE, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan and will serve as a preparatory tournament for the T20 World Cup 2021 scheduled to take place in Australia from October.
Afghanistan, under the leadership of the seasoned Mohmmad Nabi, will be looking to beat the higher-ranked teams, something they were unable to in the T20 World Cup here last year. Rashid Khan as usual will be their trump card with the ball and will be expecting the batters to step up.
Sri Lanka have a shown a lot of promise under new head coach Chris Silverwood. There is no dearth of talent in the squad and the event presents an ideal opportunity to become overnight stars and bring smiles on the faces of people struggling back home.
Intensity – _
Preparations in the AfghanAtalan camp are _ in full force ahead of their first game in the Asia Cup 2022 tomorrow against Sri Lanka _ #AfghanAtalan | #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/MeoIh6kbyR— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) August 26, 2022
Match: Asia Cup 2022 Group B Match 1 SL vs AFG
Time – 7:30 PM IST
Venue: Dubai International Stadium, Dubai.
SL vs AFG Dream11 Team
Wicketkeepers: Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Batters: Pathum Nissanka, Najibullah Zadran, Dasun Shanaka
All-rounders: Rashid Khan(C), Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga(VC), Mohammad Nabi
Bowlers: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Asitha Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne.