Series: Afghanistan tour of Sri Lanka, 2024 , Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, 1st ODI
Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Date & Time: Feb 09
Get ready for an exciting showdown as Sri Lanka and Afghanistan gear up for the first One Day International (ODI) of their three-match series. The action unfolds at the iconic Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Friday, February 9.
Expect a thrilling battle between these two teams, filled with intense moments, as both sides feature top-notch players. Leading the Sri Lankan team is Kusal Mendis, while Hashmatullah Shahidi continues to captain Afghanistan.
In their previous encounters, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan have faced off 12 times. Sri Lanka has emerged victorious seven times, while Afghanistan has clinched four wins, with one match ending in a draw. With both teams eager to secure a win in this upcoming clash, the stakes are high.
Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, 1st ODI Pitch Report (Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele)
The Pallekele Cricket Stadium is renowned for its excellent batting track, favoring batsmen with minimal assistance to fast bowlers. This sets the stage for graceful stroke play and a delightful batting experience. Once batsmen find their rhythm, they can exploit numerous scoring opportunities. Additionally, as the game progresses, the pitch tends to become more favorable for spinners. Thus, winning the toss is crucial as captains may opt to bat first to fully utilize these advantageous conditions.
Overall: The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium offers a batting-friendly pitch, posing a decent challenge to bowlers.
Key characteristics:
- Batting:
- Good bounce and carry: Facilitates stroke-making and encourages high scores.
- Limited assistance to fast bowlers: Early swing or seam movement is uncommon.
- Spin-friendly conditions later in the innings: Spinners gain grip and turn as the pitch wears.
- Bowling:
- Seaming conditions initially: Early swing or seam movement may be observed.
- Spin becomes more effective later: Spinners become increasingly influential as the match progresses.
- Discipline essential for pace bowlers: Accuracy and consistency are key to success.
Recent form:
- Average first innings score: 246 runs (across all formats)
- Highest total: 363/7 by South Africa (ODI)
- Teams batting first win: 39%
- Teams chasing win: 55%
Current weather:
- Overcast skies, with minimal chance of rain
- Temperature: 31°C
- Humidity: 61%
- Wind speed: 16 km/h
Toss:
- Winning the toss and opting to bowl first could be advantageous, especially if conditions favor seamers early on. However, setting a big total while batting first is also a viable strategy.
Additional notes:
- The pitch has recently undergone resurfacing work, so its behavior in upcoming matches might vary from past trends.
- The outfield is typically fast, enabling quick singles and twos.
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