Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Prediction: Sri Lanka has won the series 2-0

Sri Lanka and West Indies are going head to head in the 3rd and final Match of the One Day Series at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka on 14 Feb 2024. Sri Lanka has won the series 2-0 and will be looking to whitewash Afghanistan. Who will win this game of cricket?

A notable aspect of this revamped Sri Lankan team is the emergence of individuals ready to step up and take on responsibilities.

Pathum Nissanka, the double centurion from the initial match, had a brief stint at the crease, and his opening partner failed to replicate the heroics of the first match. However, the subsequent batsmen, including captain Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, and Janith Liyanage, spearheaded the batting effort, ensuring Sri Lanka achieved their second consecutive total exceeding 300 runs.

Likewise, Wanindu Hasaranga, who had an unexpectedly subdued performance in the first game, made a significant impact with an impressive four-wicket haul, dismantling the backbone of the Afghanistan middle order and triggering a collapse.

The astute spinner bewildered the opposition with his array of tricks after Asitha Fernando made a crucial breakthrough by removing Ibrahim Zadran. Dilshan Madushanka also contributed by claiming wickets and wrapping up the tail.

The Sri Lankan team is brimming with confidence in their adept execution of skills, both with the bat and ball. They aspire to deliver another commendable performance in their quest for a whitewash against an evidently improved Afghanistan side.

Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (c & wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Asitha Fernando, Pramod Madushan.

The courage and expertise exhibited by the visiting team in the first ODI, where they successfully chased a formidable total of 381, was conspicuously absent in the second ODI.

In reality, they found themselves in a more advantageous position to control the game at various stages, both with the ball and the bat. However, lapses in fielding during the latter part of the match allowed Sri Lanka to accumulate too many runs, setting a secure and competitive total. Despite initially falling behind in their chase, the visitors struggled to keep up with the required run rate throughout most of their innings. Just as the well-established pair of Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah attempted to accelerate, Ibrahim Zadran fell against the flow of the game. Rahmat Shah swiftly followed, leading to a monumental collapse as the visitors lost 8 wickets for a mere 10 runs.

Recovering from such a demoralizing defeat is challenging, but the visitors face an uphill task to avoid a 0-3 whitewash. Afghanistan had a significant opportunity to secure an important away series victory previously but fell short. Although Afghanistan won the first match, the second ODI was affected by rain, and Sri Lanka successfully chased 314 in the third ODI, preventing the visitors from clinching their first series win on Sri Lankan soil.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Noor Ahmad, Qais Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

The Pallekele wicket has proven to be more conducive to batting than initially anticipated, as evidenced by the home team achieving two consecutive scores exceeding 300. While the pitch may not retain its former solidity, there is an expectation of yet another high-scoring match. Although there were some clouds on the eve of the match, the weather forecast indicates an improvement on the actual game day.

The third and final ODI of the series will take place at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele. Out of the 41 matches held at this venue, 17 have been won by the team batting first, while 22 have been won by the team batting second. The highest successful chase on this ground remains at 314/6, achieved by Sri Lanka against Afghanistan in 2002.

The team winning the toss is likely to opt for batting first. Sri Lanka aims to set a formidable total by choosing to bat first and exert pressure on Afghanistan's batsmen. Afghanistan, having opted to chase in both prior instances, would not hesitate to bat first if the coin toss favours them.

Sri Lanka is poised to secure victory over Afghanistan, completing a hat trick of wins and achieving a comprehensive 3-0 whitewash.