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Asia Cup 2023 Match 6 Afghanistan Predicted Xi Vs Sri Lanka

Asia Cup 2023, Match 6 | Afghanistan Predicted XI vs Sri Lanka

image-lm529slc Rahmanullah Gurbaz will be a key part of Afghanistan's plan in the match against Sri Lanka (Source: AP Photos)

The Group stages of 2023 Asia Cup are nearing its end and match 6 will see Afghanistan rub shoulders with Sri Lanka at the historic Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. This is also the final match of the league stages and important two points are in stake.

Sri Lanka has won the only match that they have played in the Continental competition thus far. Matheesha Pathirana and Maheesh Theekshana's outstanding bowling helped the team dismiss Bangladesh for 163 runs during the first innings in the last game. Despite early setbacks in the second innings, the Lions were still able to chase down the total riding on the back of heroic performances by Sadeera Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka.

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On the flip side, Hashmatullah Shahidi's Afghanistan came up short against Bangladesh in their opening game of the 2023 Asia Cup after being defeated by a score of 89 runs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Najmul Hossain Shanto both scored spectacular century as the Shakib Al Hasan-led team scored 334 runs while batting first. In exchange, the bowlers performed admirably to shut out the Atalans for 245 runs. It's a must-win game for the Afghanistan team, and in order to finish in the top two, they will also need to win by a substantial margin.

Openers: Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran

The opening combination of Afghanistan will remain similar as that of the previous game against Bangladesh. Ibrahim Zadran is one of the best batters of the nation and is riding on the back of a half-century against Bangladesh. He will be accompanied by Rahmanullah Gurbaz who was in stellar form in the past couple of months. The wicketkeeper-batter also notched up his career best ODI score recently against Pakistan.

Middle-Order: Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Najibullah Zadran

Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi constitute the core of their middle order. The skipper and the deputy are steady batters who are experienced and can bat situations very well. When it comes to no. 5, Najibullah Zadran should be the name for the Afghan community. The elder Zadran is arriving after recuperation and will be looking to get back to his run-scoring flow.

All-rounders: Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, and Karim Janat

The President aka. Mohammad Nabi is an indispensable member of the side and brings wealth of experience with him. He is a finisher lower down the order and the finger spin is an invaluable aspect.

The likes of Gulbadin Naib and Karim Janat cultivates potent and experience in the Atalans line-up. Naib was brilliant with the new ball against Pakistan, got some lateral movements off the deck while Janat the knack for wickets on his day. Both cricketers also provide the batting depth to Afghanistan.

Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Fazalhaq Farooqi

Although Rashid Khan injured his right knee in the last game, he was back in the field after a short break. He should be playing this game as it is a must-win encounter for Afghanistan. The magician is likely to be assisted by Mujeeb Ur Rahman who will be bowling his first spell during the first powerplay along with left-arm pacer, Fazalhaq Farooqi.