SL Vs AFG Dream11 Team Prediction, Match Preview, Fantasy Cricket Hints: Captain, Probable Playing 11s, Team News; Injury Updates For Today’s SL Vs AFG 1st ODI in Hambantota, 10AM IST, June 2

Sri Lanka has unleashed some special bowling talents ahead of big events over the years. In the case of Lasith Malinga, he was thrown into the deep end during a so-called Top End tour of Australia in 2004. In the case of Ajantha Mendis, he was introduced just before the Asia Cup and he starred with six wickets against India in the final aas Sri Lanka clinched the trophy in 2008.

The same blueprint is to be followed with 20-year-old Matheesha Pathirana, who will make his ODI debut in the three-match series against Afghanistan that gets underway on Friday. Although Pathirana has played just one Twenty20 International, he is already a star after performing a key role for Chennai in the Super Kings’ run to a record fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 title.

Pathirana bowls with a unique round-arm action and Sri Lankans hope that he'll be quite a handful for batters during the World Cup qualifiers later this month in Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka, which won the 1996 World Cup title and has twice been runner-up, needs to go through qualifying because of its slide down the International Cricket Council rankings in the one-day format.

Afghanistan has no such issues after qualifying automatically for the showpiece event later this year in India. Bowling is Afghanistan’s strength, with three Afghan players featuring in the list of top 10 bowlers in official ICC rankings. Leg-spinner Rashid Khan will miss the first two games because of a lower-back injury, but off-spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi will find the conditions in Hambantota to their liking.

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan 1st ODI Details

Venue: Hambantota, Sri Lanka

Date & Time: June 2, 10am IST onwards

Live Streaming and TV details: Sony Sports Network and SonyLiv website and app.

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction

Wicketkeepers: Kusal Mendis, Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Batters: Pathum Nissanka, Dasun Shanaka, Ibrahim Zadran

All-rounders: Wanindu Hasaranga, Dhananjaya de Silva, Mohammad Nabi

Bowlers: Lahiru Kumara, Matheesha Pathirana, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Captain: Pathum Nissanka

Vice-captain: Fazalhaq Farooqi

SL vs AFG 1st ODI Predicted 11

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka(C), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis (wk), Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana

Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik