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Pakistan
Sri Lanka
We are now into the last round of the 2023 edition of the Asia Cup, with two matches left before the final. The Pakistan vs Sri Lanka match is going to be the most crucial encounter of the tournament. The team winning this match will confirm their place in the final of the tournament.Β
Pakistan have played two matches in the Super 4s round till now, where they won one against Bangladesh and suffered a big loss against India in the other match. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, beat Bangladesh in their opening Super 4s game and lost to India in their next game.Β
The rain has also played a spoilsport in most of the matches, and these teams would expect the rain gods to show some mercy on Thursday. The top bookmakers in India have Asia Cup odds with them.
The dry pitch of Colombo will suit Wellalageβs left-arm spin bowling.
The betting tip is...
Dunith Wellalage to take 2.5+ wickets
66 %
34 %
PakistanSri LankaIn their last match against India, Pakistan faced some serious trouble with Haris Rauf not being able to take the field on the reserve day. As soon as they coped with this loss, Naseem Shah got injured as well and could not complete his 10-over quota.
Both of these bowlers did not come out to bat, and in all likelihood, they will miss this game against Sri Lanka, which could prove to be a big blow for the home team. Shaheen Afridi was all over the ground in the previous match, and his form is a bit of a concern for the team.
We are expecting couple of changes in Pakistan team because of injuries.
Predicted Lineup: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman/Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr., and Usama Mir
Sri Lankan spinners, especially Dunith Wellalage, were right on the money from ball one in the previous game against India. They took full advantage of the pitch and choked up Indian batters during the middle overs.
That performance would have given a lot of confidence to the young spinners, and they will be ready in this forthcoming match as well. Matheesha Pathirana was not anywhere near his best in the last match, and that is a bit of a concern
We donβt anticipate any changes to their team for this match against Pakistan on Thursday.
Predicted Lineup: Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka (c), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, and Matheesha Pathirana
In the upcoming match, Pakistan's prospects appear to have taken a hit with their two premium fast bowlers ruled out. This development leaves them looking like a comparatively weaker team when pitted against Sri Lanka.Β
Unfortunately for Pakistan, their top-order batsmen are currently grappling with a lack of form, while the Sri Lankan spinners are performing exceptionally well, displaying top-notch skills.Β
Given the circumstances, it's quite likely that the Sri Lankan side might emerge as the victors in this match, capitalizing on their spinners' prowess and Pakistan's recent struggles.
