Sri Lanka and Afghanistan will take on each other in the second T20I match of the three-match series on Monday at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla. Sri Lanka recorded their victory in the first game to take early 1-0 lead in the series.

Despite winning the first game, Sri Lanka didn’t appear up to the standards in the first game with all of their top-order batters lacking scoring after Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis got dismissed for (6) and (10) respectively. Sri Lanka were saved by the crucial knock from captain Wanindu Hasaranga scoring (67) to lift the side to a fighting score of (160). 

Afghanistan, in their chase started on a successful note, with fiery Ibaram Zadran hammering (67) unbeaten. To continue with the good start, Zadran lacked complete support from the other end with other top batters like Rahmanullah Gurbaz (13), Gulbadin Naib (16), Azmatullah Omarzai (2) and Mohammad Naib (9) losing their wickets with their scanty innings. 

Sri Lankan bowlers Matheesha Pathirana and Dasun Shanaka came out with their remarkable spell, claiming four and two wickets respectively to restrict Afghanistan to (156) in (20) overs. 

With the series on the line, Afghanistan would eye a huge show of support from their players to get themselves back into the series to level it 1-1. Sri Lanka, on their part, would expect their players to return strongly to assert their dominance over Afghanistan to lead series-clinching victory. 

Sri Lanka Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Maheesh Theekshana, Binura Fernando, Matheesha Pathirana

Afghanistan Probable XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran (c), Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Qais Ahmad, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq