Afghanistan chose to bat v Sri Lanka
Afghanistan won the toss and chose to bat for the third time in this three-match ODI series, with the Pallekele pitch expected to be better for batting in the afternoon than in the evening.
With this surface expected to offer more turn than the previous two pitches used in the series, both sides have strengthened their spin attacks at the expense of their seam battery. Sri Lanka brought in spin-bowling allrounder Dunith Wellalage in place of seam-bowling allrounder Dhananjaya Lakshan, and have also replaced Lahiru Kumara with the skiddier quick Asitha Fernando.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, have left out seamer Yamin Ahmadzai for left-arm wristspinner Noor Ahmad.
Afghanistan had won the first match by 60 runs, before the second match was abandoned before a result could be reached. Sri Lanka had been well-placed in that second game, however.
Afghanistan 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 4 Najibullah Zadran, 5 Mohammad Nabi, 6 Rahmat Shah, 7 Gulbadin Naib, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Fazalhaq Farooqi, 11 Noor Ahmad
Sri Lanka: 1 Kusal Mendis (wk), 2 Pathum Nissanka, 3 Dinesh Chandimal, 4 Dhananjaya de Silva, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Dunith Wellalage, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Kasun Rajitha, 11 Asitha Fernando
This article was originally published by Espncricinfo.com. Read the original article here.