Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Prediction: Who will win today's Asia Cup 2022 Super 4 match?
Only a week ago, Fazalhaq Farooqi ripped through Sri Lanka's top order to hand Afghanistan a comprehensive eight-wicket victory in their first match of the 2022 Asia Cup. The two teams meet again, this time in the Super 4 stage, on Saturday, September 3, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Afghanistan built on their win over Sri Lanka, vanquishing Bangladesh on the back of a dazzling display from their spinners and a late assault from Najibullah Zadran. Almost all of their players have managed to contribute in the Asia Cup, as they find themselves not only unbeaten but also as serious contenders for the continental title.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, had to dig deep against Shakib Al Hasan and Co. They eventually got over the line in a last-ball thriller, but both their batting and their bowling briefly unraveled at various points in the clash. Dasun Shanaka has been optimistic about his team's chances in the Asia Cup, but even he will know that anything but their 'A' game will not be enough to beat a buoyant Afghan side.
Asia Cup 2022: Sri Lanka out for revenge against high-flying Afghanistan
Both sides' batting and pace departments will be under the scanner on Saturday. Batting has been difficult in general in the Asia Cup, while fast bowlers have found it tougher to keep the runs in check when compared to the spinners. Speaking of spinners, both teams have world-class operators and will relish playing in Sharjah.
Afghanistan have seen contributions from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hazratullah Zazai, and Ibrahim Zadran apart from Najibullah, but their batters haven't shown much consistency on wickets that have been a touch dicey to bat on. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will fret over the form of their middle order, with Charith Asalanka and his southpaw compatriots failing to deliver in the Asia Cup thus far.
The venue change to Sharjah presents an interesting conundrum for Sri Lanka. They'll be up against the talented trio of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Mohammad Nabi, and Afghanistan's set of all-rounders could even allow them to play an extra spinner in Noor Ahmad at the cost of some batting depth. Nabi is unlikely to make a change after two wins on the trot, though.
Afghanistan's batting looks awfully fragile, capable of collapsing in any game. However, their bowling looks so formidable that it's tough to imagine Sri Lanka's misfiring batters coming up with a complete performance. On the flip side, the Lankan bowling attack is heavily reliant on Wanindu Hasaranga, and although the fast bowlers bowled decently against Bangladesh, it's clear that the star leg-spinner's spell will dictate the course of the innings.
Overall, this Super 4 contest is too close to call. Sharjah's surface could play into Sri Lanka's hands, considering their usually sedate batting approach. But can they counter the spin threat of an Afghanistan team high on confidence? It's possible, but improbable. Shanaka and Co. are definitely in with a fighting chance, but Afghanistan could be backed to keep their unbeaten record intact.
Prediction: Afghanistan to win Match 1 of the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup