Abu Dhabi, Sep 18 (IANS) Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first against Sri Lanka in a must-win Group B match of the 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium here on Thursday.

Sri Lanka enter their final Group B game at the top of the points table with two wins from as many games, while Afghanistan, currently placed third, are in a do-or-die scenario. A win for Afghanistan would see them leapfrog Bangladesh and secure a spot in the Super Fours.

After winning the toss, Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan said Darwish Rasooli and Mujeeb Ur Rahman come in for AM Ghazanfar and Gulbadin Naib. “Runs on the board are important on this wicket. It is a must-win game; we have to keep it simple and do the basics right. It is a new surface; we have played a lot in Abu Dhabi, 165+ is a good score,” he said.

Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka said left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Dunith Wellalage comes in for off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana. “I would have done the same thing. We have spoken about our middle-order batting; we have two in-form openers, and that is an advantage for us. We have to improve our middle-order batting; we want to execute rather than talk,” he said.

Pitch report by Mike Haysman and Ravi Shastri said, “The tracks here are of a different colour. There’s a lot more grass than on the adjacent pitch. It might be two-paced, and there will be some help for the pacers. You have to give yourself some time as a batter.”

“Thank God for the breeze, it will help the players. The ball comes on here better than Dubai. The ball might not turn much, but the Afghanistan spinners can spin a web around anyone. Get a good start and keep rotating the strike instead of looking for big hits.”

Playing XIs:

Afghanistan: Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan (c), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, and Fazalhaq Farooqi

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (c), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, and Nuwan Thushara

–IANS

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