Sri Lanka - Afghanistan third ODI World Cup qualification at stake for Sri Lanka in final Afghanistan ODI

Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya de Silva (C) and teammates run during a practice session at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy -AFP   

By Shamseer Jaleel   

Sri Lanka will host Afghanistan in the third One Day International under lights at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium with more than just a series-levelling win at stake.   
Sri Lanka are in the last stretch of their ICC Cricket World Cup Super League campaign, and are in desperate need of victory to keep up their hopes of making the top eight teams in the league table before the March cut off date.   

Currently Sri Lanka are placed 10th while Afghanistan have already sealed direct qualification for the 50 over Cricket World Cup which is to be staged in India next year.   
There is only one spot left for automatic qualification with hosts India, England, New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan having already qualified.   
Competing for that final place is West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Ireland.   

Sri Lanka lost the first match of the three-match series but did well to restrict Afghanistan to 228 in the second ODI, and looked confident to square the series.   
Heavy rain however dashed the home team’s hopes of collecting ten league points from the game as the points were shared.   

This is Sri Lanka’s best chance to add crucial points, with a challenging tour of New Zealand their final ODI assignment before the cut off date.   
Sri Lanka had their training session in the morning hours yesterday while the visitors trained in the evening.   

Opening batsman Pathum Nissanka, said “We want to end this game on a winning note. We have plans for each game and want to execute those plans.”   

Speaking on the Cricket World Cup, he said, “We want to win and reach the top eight. We are preparing well and want to win all the matches from here onwards.”   

Speaking on his own form, Nissanka said, “I am in good form but in the end, I want to help the team to end on the winning side. I am very happy with my fitness level. For me to come to this level my father helped me a lot who laid my foundation at junior level.” 

Squads

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Gulbadin Naib, Ibrahim Zadran, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Noor Ahmad, Rashid Khan, Riaz Hassan, Shahidullah Kamal, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zia-ur-Rehman   
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (Capt), Pathum Nissanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Dananjaya Lakshan, Kasun Rajitha, Maheesh Theekshana,  Asitha Fernando, Ashen Bandara, Lahiru Kumara