Asia Cup: Game 1
Stadium: Dubai International Stadium
27th August 2022.
Sri Lanka will take on Afghanistan in the first match of the Asia Cup group stage at Dubai International Stadium. Will Sri Lanka get a good start in the competition or will we see an upset in the very first game of the tournament?
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Sri Lanka has not played a lot of cricket this year due to tensions in the homeland. They last played a three-game T20 series against Australia in which they were completely floored 2-1. They have only won two out of the last eleven games they played this year. The last T20 game was impressive and they came away with a victory which should boost their confidence. Hasaranga will be the lead spinner for Sri Lanka and will be the one to watch out for. Sri Lanka will be looking to surprise everyone in this competition.
Sri Lanka Predicted Lineup
Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dasun Shanaka (captain), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka.
Afghanistan form
Afghanistan are coming off a series loss against Ireland. They lost the first two games and then came back strongly to level up the series at 2-2 but lost the decisive game at the end. Afghanistan has had a relatively better year than Sri Lanka with lots of cricket and lots of wins. They are coming into the tournament and this game as underdogs. Afghans will be led by Rashid Khan and Rahman in the bowling department. They will be looking to surprise everyone with a win and make a statement in the tournament.
Afghanistan Predicted Lineup
Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Usman Ghani, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad.
Expert betting tips
The pitch will help the batters but the initial overs will be tricky for the batsman. The bowlers can knick a few wickets in that phase. The spinners will play a crucial role in this game and both teams have quality spinners. We expect a Sri Lankan win but Afghans will make life difficult for the island nation.
Prediction
- Team 1 Wins for 1.502;
- Total Runs, Over Number 1 Under 5.5 for 1.91;
- Best Bowler On Team 1 - Wanidu Hasaranga for 2.75