Asia Cup 2022 Match 1, SL vs AFG: Today's match players list, teams & umpires

The Asia Cup 2022 will kick off on Saturday (August 27) with Sri Lanka taking on Afghanistan in a Group B match in Dubai. The tournament is being viewed as a significant one as teams prepare for the T20 World Cup to be played in Australia in October-November. As such, all sides will be keen to make a big impact.

Sri Lanka’s previous T20I assignment was against Australia at home in June. It was not a memorable one as they went down 1-2 in the three-match series. Lanka’s batting let them down in the first two matches as they managed only 128 and 124 for nine. The twin batting failures cost them the series, but they will take heart from the fact that they won the subsequent ODI rubber.

Afghanistan are also coming off a loss in their previous T20I series. They took on Ireland in Belfast earlier this month in a five-match rubber. The games were closely contested. However, Afghanistan’s inconsistency saw them conceding the series by a 2-3 margin.

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Today's SL vs AFG toss result

Afghanistan have won the toss and have opted to field. Speaking about the decision, skipper Mohammad Nabi said:

“Fresh pitch and there's been no cricket in Dubai for a long time. We want to see how it plays.”

Nabi said that they are playing with three spinners and plenty of all-rounders who can bat.

For Sri Lanka, Dilshan Madushanka and Matheesha Pathirana are making their debuts.

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SL vs AFG - Today's Match Playing XIs

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana.

Afghanistan: Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (w), Ibrahim Zadran, Karim Janat, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (c), Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

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Today's SL vs AFG match player list

Sri Lanka squad: Pathum Nissanka (wk), Dasun Shanaka (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis, Ashen Bandara, Praveen Jayawickrama, Nuwanidu Fernando, Pramod Madushan, Dilshan Madushanka, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara.

Afghanistan squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mohammad Nabi (c), Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Samiullah Shinwari, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afsar Zazai, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Usman Ghani, Azmatullah Omarzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

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SL vs AFG - Today Match umpires

On-field umpires: Ahsan Raza, Anil Chaudhary

TV umpire: Jayaraman Madanagopal

Match Referee: Jeff Crowe