🏏T20 Asia Cup 2025: AFG vs SL, 11th Match, Group B at Abu Dhabi🏏 - Page 2

The headline is that Afghanistan absolutely have to win in order to make the Super Four, or else Bangladesh get in ahead of them. Sri Lanka merely have to avoid being handed an all-time thrashing.

If Sri Lanka bat first and make 150, for example, Afghanistan would have to chase that target down in 11.4 overs in order to knock Sri Lanka out and have Bangladesh accompany them to the Super Four. If Afghanistan bat first and make 150, Sri Lanka would have to score 84 or fewer for Bangladesh to qualify.

Essentially, Afghanistan need to win. Bangladesh would ideally like Sri Lanka to win. But if Sri Lanka lose, Bangladesh need them to lose by a gargantuan margin.

Sri Lanka, for the record, are very capable of collapsing. They almost lost against Hong Kong on Monday, their middle order entering a familiar nosedive following another Pathum Nissanka fifty. You only have to look back to about three weeks for an occasion in which they were all out in double figures - Zimbabwe rolling them for 80 in Harare. Afghanistan are also a team they have lost to three times in their eight T20I meetings.

Both teams' strengths over the last several years, however, have been their bowlers. Afghanistan have Rashid Khan, and Sri Lanka Wanindu Hasaranga - both excellent legspinners who add plenty with the bat. Both teams also tend to rely on allrounders and have flexibility built into their T20 play. There is also fragility to both batting orders and suspicions over whether their lower middle orders are up to scratch against the best teams in the world.

The pressure to win, though, is on Afghanistan. Sri Lanka will be fine just muddling through. If they get through to the Super Four, they will back themselves to regroup as they did in 2022, when they won this tournament. Afghanistan scrambled mighty tournament charges even more recently, though, when they got to the semi-finals of last year's T20 World Cup.

Form guide

Sri Lanka: WWWLW (last five T20Is, most recent first)

Afghanistan: LWLWW

Pitch and conditions

Abu Dhabi tends to be one of the higher-scoring venues in the UAE, although slower bowlers have still got purchase there in this tournament.

Thanks for the tag Soni!

Very interesting scenario. If SL wins AFG is out. If AFG wins, BD is out.

Cheers..

Thank you, Soni, for the thread and for tagging me.

As Raji said, this match is crucial for Ban and AFG! Let us see.

The fate of an enthralling Group B in the Asia Cup will be decided today evening, as the final match is all set to go with any combination of the three leading teams possible in the Super 4s. This is what was expected from this tight group, where three genuine contenders to reach the final of this tournament were drawn into the same pool, and as Sri Lanka prepare to face Afghanistan.

SL VS AFG Live score: What Are The NRRs

1) Sri Lanka: Points: 4 NRR - +1.546

2) Bangladesh: Points: 2 NRR - 1.954

3) Afghanistan: Points: 2 NRR - +2.150

SL VS AFG Live score: What Are Qualification Scenarios

Sri Lanka - Qualify If They Win/Lose by Small Margin

Afghanistan - Qualify If They Win

Bangladesh- Qualify if Sri Lanka win or Afghanistan win by a huge margin.

For Afghanistan, the spinners remain their biggest weapon, but their batting must step up after a disappointing chase earlier in the week. Sri Lanka, unbeaten so far, will look to maintain their winning run but demand more consistency from their top order. With Wanindu Hasaranga in prime form, Sri Lanka will pose a formidable challenge.

The pitch at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi is known for testing batters with its slow nature and low bounce. Spinners, in particular, thrive on this surface, as the ball grips and turns more sharply as the game progresses. Stroke-making often becomes harder in the middle and latter stages, forcing batters to work for their runs rather than rely on free-flowing shots.

Conditions under lights add another layer of challenge. Teams chasing have historically struggled here, as the surface tends to deteriorate further, making it difficult to settle against tight, spin-heavy attacks. Adjusting to the pace of the pitch and rotating strike effectively becomes critical, but few sides manage it successfully in pressure situations.

Recent match at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

The last T20I match at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi was Match 9 of Asia Cup 2025 between hosts Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Bangladesh, batting first, put up a challenging total of 154/5 on the board. In reply, Afghanistan could only reach 146 before losing all 10 wickets as Bangladesh registered a crucial 6-run victory.