Sri Lanka eyeing big win against Afghanistan
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Poor batting, listless bowling and shoddy fielding - Sri Lankan skipper, Angelo Mathews has his plate full. After being outclassed by New Zealand in their opening game, Sri Lanka are eyeing a big win against the minnows Afghanistan. Nothing went right for the Lankans against the Kiwis. After conceding a massive total, the islanders failed to put up a proper chase. Their big guns misfired and the new comers couldn't muster any semblance of a fight. Sri Lanka came into the World Cup on the back of some patchy form and their poor all-round display against New Zealand only made matters worse for them. Catch all the live cricket scores and live updates here (Live Scorecard | Fixtures | Points Table):
Both Teams in Search of Points
Sri Lanka's bowling is a big worry. Nuwan Kulasekara is a shadow of his previous self while Lasith Malinga, who returned from an injury, is woefully short of match practice. Their spinners haven't been able to bite into the opposition and the flurry of drop catches have worsened their case. The batting too, looks a bit dicey. The captain Angelo Mathews has been the only bright spot for the Lankan lions in the last few months while their over-reliance on their big guns Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene has haunted them for a long time now.(Sri Lanka Eye Big Win)
A file photo of Afghanistan players.
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Afghanistan too, lost their first game. Bangladesh faltered first but recovered through Shakib-al-Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim to beat the newbies at the World Cup. It wasn't a surprise that the Afghans were beaten but they displayed a lot of heart and bowled with vigour. They kept the lid on Bangladesh for long periods but the disqualification of Samiullah Shenwari from the bowling, opened the gates for the Bangla tigers. The Afghan batting though, lacks the skill. With the exception of Nawroz Mangal and Asghar Stanikzai, none of them seemed to be equipped to handle a bowling attack that has some steam and potency.(Lanka Hope to Find Form)
It's a tricky tie for Sri Lanka. They need to win and win it big. However, the Afghans are no pushovers. What they lack in talent, they make it up with temperament. Sri Lanka would love to set the ball rolling with a comfortable victory but the spunk that the Afghans have displayed till now is enough to keep Mathew's men on their toes.(Afghan Skipper Promises Recovery)
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