At the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on September 18, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan will lock horns in a winner-takes-all Group B encounter of Asia Cup 2025. Sri Lanka have been imperious so far, posting consecutive victories over Bangladesh and Hong Kong to sit atop the table with four points and a net run rate of +1.546. Led by captain Charith Asalanka, their batting lineup has thrived on consistency, with Pathum Nissanka’s wealth of fifty-plus scores anchoring the top order and all-rounders Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana providing crucial breakthroughs. On the bowling front, Matheesha Pathirana’s pace and Nuwan Thushara’s swing have stifled opponents, making Sri Lanka firm favourites heading into this final league match.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, have shown their mettle, storming past Hong Kong by 94 runs before conceding an eight-run defeat to Bangladesh. They currently occupy third place on two points but boast the tournament’s best net run rate in Group B at +2.150. Under Rashid Khan’s leadership, their spin-rich attack featuring Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi poses a potent threat, while the explosive top order of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran and Darwish Rasooli can turn the game on its head. A victory for Afghanistan will see them leapfrog into the Super Four, whereas Sri Lanka only need a win by any margin to secure their place alongside Bangladesh. With Bangladesh’s fate now out of their own hands, all eyes will be on this high-stakes clash.
SL vs AFG, Asia Cup 2025: Match Details
- Date and Time: September 18, 8:00 pm IST / 02:30 pm GMT / 06:30 pm local
- Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
SL vs AFG, Head-to-Head Record in T20Is:
Matches Played: 08 | SL won: 5 | AFG won: 3 | No results: 0
Sheikh Zayed Stadium Pitch Report:
The pitch at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi offers a balanced contest between bat and ball. Early in the innings, the surface provides good bounce and pace, allowing batters to play their shots confidently. As the game progresses, the wicket tends to slow down and dry out, making it more favourable for spinners and bowlers who use changes of pace during the middle overs. The ground’s relatively large boundaries combined with a slightly slow outfield make hitting sixes more challenging. In night matches, dew typically plays a significant role, often benefiting the team batting second as the ball skids onto the bat. Because of this, chasing teams have generally found better success here, and captains often prefer to bowl first after winning the toss.
Squads:
Sri Lanka: Parvez Hossain Emon, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Litton Das (wk/c), Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Saif Hassan, Nasum Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Nurul Hasan, Shoriful Islam
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (c), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Binura Fernando, Dasun Shanaka, Nuwan Thushara, Kamil Mishara, Chamika Karunaratne, Kusal Perera
SL vs AFG, Today’s match prediction:
Case 1:
- Sri Lanka wins the toss and bowls first
- Afghanistan powerplay score: 40-45
- Afghanistan overall score: 150-160
Case 2:
- Afghanistan wins the toss and bowls first
- Sri Lanka powerplay score: 45-55
- Sri Lanka overall score: 160-170
Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest
