The Sri Lanka ‘A’ team will meet the Afghanistan ‘A’ team in their third unofficial ODI today. Sri Lanka ‘A’ currently holds a 2-0 series lead and is expected to field a new-look side for this game.
Five new players have been added to the Sri Lanka ‘A’ squad, while five players, including skipper Sahan Arachchige and deputy skipper Nuwanidu Fernando, have returned to Colombo to participate in the T20 series at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
National Test team opener Nishan Madushka will take on the new responsibility of leading the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team today. Former Royal skipper and in-form batter Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Sonal Dinusha, and all-rounder Chamindu Wijesinghe are also competing for places in the middle order.
All five new players performed well in the NS tournament. Lahiru Udara, who scored 73 in the first game, will once again open the batting with skipper Nishan Madushka. Sri Lanka ‘A’ aims to win today’s game to clinch the series with two matches to spare. Wicketkeeper Minod Bhanuka, who missed the first two matches, is also vying for a spot in the team.
The first game between the two ‘A’ teams was closely contested, with Sri Lanka ‘A’ winning by 8 runs with the DLS method in a high-scoring encounter. However, the second ODI last Tuesday was interrupted by rain and reduced to 30 overs. The Afghan side was bundled out for 121 in 27.2 overs, while Sri Lanka ‘A’ chased down the target with eight wickets in hand in 15.2 overs.
Former Royal skipper Kamil Mishara, who has two 40s in both previous matches, is in good form with the bat. The Sri Lanka ‘A’ team is expected to set a challenging total to put pressure on Afghanistan. Due to the absence of Chamika Karunaratne, who is back in Colombo for the T20 series, Mohammed Shiraz and Chamika Gunasekara will need to make early breakthroughs. The inclusion of Chamindu Wijesinghe, the former Nalandian, adds additional strength to the bowling department. Paceman Ujith Madushan has also been added to the side, but the final team has not been finalized.
The Sri Lanka ‘A’ team had a successful training session yesterday afternoon under the guidance of head coach Avishka Gunawardena, with fast bowling coach Chamila Gamage and spin bowling coach Sajeewa Weerakoon playing supporting roles.
The Afghanistan ‘A’ team, led by Ikram Alikhil, will be aiming to win this game. They have a strong batting department, especially opener Riaz Hassan, who scored a fine century in the first game. Skipper Alikhil has not been successful in both matches, while experienced spinner Qais Ahmed has been a useful all-rounder for the side. They aim to rectify their mistakes today and secure a win, while the new-look Sri Lanka ‘A’ team is ready to meet this challenge. The Afghanistan ‘A’ team also had a training session yesterday and hopes to finalize the team today.
The fourth ODI will be on May 5, while the 5th ODI is scheduled for May 7 at the same venue in Hambantota.
