Sri Lanka has played and won one encounter in the Asia Cup thus far. However, if things go awry against Afghanistan on Tuesday, they could be eliminated from the tournament. But for that to occur, Afghanistan must prevail decisively. If they batted first and scored 275 runs, they would need to win by a margin of at least 68 runs or chase down any target in 35 overs or less.
Sri Lanka wants to qualify for Super Fours in batter-friendly Lahore against Afghanistan.
A Lahore pitch that has been positively gluttonous for runs provides Sri Lanka with a substantial cushion. This will also relieve Sri Lanka’s batters, who have been subjected to significantly fewer batsman-friendly pitches over the past month, predominantly during the LPL. However, the coin flip is likely to play a significant role. While the team bowling second may have to cope with dew, the team bowling first will have to do so in the scorching Lahore heat.
Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan mentioned it unprompted as one of the primary reasons for their victory over Afghanistan on Sunday, noting that it would not have been possible for Afghanistan to bat after fielding for 50 overs in such extreme heat.
