PREVIEW

By Srian Obeyesekere

Today’s unbeaten Sri Lanka versus a backfoot defeat decimated Afghanistan indeed boils down to a crunch now or never necessarily must win reality Super Four showdown of the Afghans needing a big win to stay on course on a predictably greater batting dictated track at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium also favouring spin suggestive of an either side Wanindu Hasaranga Rashid Khan onus of two sides beset by negating minuses of Charith Asalanka’s fragile middle order batting best exposed by minnows 3-wicket grab for 17 nearly cost them the match but for the individual heroics of Wanindu Hasaranga in the death and Pathum Nissanka upfront; a continuing big middle order muddle which nevertheless the Lankan think tanks keep ignoring to plugging by clearly going with the same faces despite having two exciting batters in Janith Liyanage and young discovery Pavan Rathnayake the squad to draw from.

Meabwhile, Afghanistan’s loss to Bangladesh a demoralising concern Khan’s batters would be looking to atone against a highly improved Lankan attack spearheaded by a comeback from injury hundred percent on a roll quick Dushmantha Chameera whose pace and variation has been a wicket taking boost to Sri Lanka’s unbeaten thrust, and as much the now injury free imaginative all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga who is a born match winner with bat and ball as he demonstrated against Hong Kong when the going got tough.

In the final analysis. Sri Lanka face off against an opposition that has bled them before which is Afghanistan’s great high point of delivering shockers in their cricketing history which in that equation does put Rashid Khan’s men right up there in this short format gallop where they importantly dont lack the ammunition to come good.

On paper, the Lankans will need to shed that mainly haunting middle order ghost also exposed by lowly 12th placed Zimbabwe in a humiliating second worst 80 score defeat recently.