Sharjah Cricket Stadium Pitch Report For AFG Vs SA 3rd ODI

Sharjah Cricket Stadium [X]Sharjah Cricket Stadium [X]

On Sunday, Afghanistan will take on South Africa in the final One-Day International of the ongoing three-match series. The much-awaited contest will take place at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates. 

Led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan bagged the series following their emphatic win in the second ODI. Batting first, the hosts posted a mammoth total of 311 runs, riding on Rahmanullah Gurbaz's scintillating century. In response, South Africa got bundled out for a paltry 134, losing the game by a whopping 177-run margin. 

South Africa's dismal batting show summed up their batters' inability to tackle the Afghan spinners on Sharjah's spin-friendly deck. Also, the absence of several key bowlers haunted them badly, as they failed to put up a spirited effort against the host batters. 

So, Afghanistan would be eyeing a historic whitewash, while the Proteas would be desperate to break their losing streak and finish the series on a high note. As the stage gets set for an exciting clash, let's see how the surface at Sharjah Cricket Stadium will behave throughout the game. 

Sharjah Cricket Stadium Pitch Report

The pitch at Sharjah Cricket Stadium will offer marginal assistance to the fast bowlers early on in the powerplay. The batters will enjoy the track's even pace and bounce to score some brisk runs against the hard new ball. 

However, when the ball gets older, it will be an uphill task to up the ante. The spinners will thrive on this surface and bamboozle the batters with their guile and variations in the middle overs. 

The seamers might get a hint of seam movement under lights later in the evening. Furthermore, as the wicket dries, the batters will find it more challenging to score against the old ball in the second half. Overall, the deck will become trickier for the batters as the game progresses. So, considering these factors, the toss-winner will likely bat first.