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Sri Lanka face Afghanistan in the 11th Group B fixture of the Asia Cup 2025 at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium on September 18, 2025 in a must-win game for both sides. Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan won the toss and elected to bat first on a surface known to favour batting early before offering spin assistance as the match wears on. With Super Four qualification hanging in the balance, both teams have made key changes to their line-ups to optimise their chances.
Reason why Maheesh Theekshana is not playing
Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka opted to drop mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana in favour of all-rounder Dunith Wellalage. Asalanka stated during the toss, “We have spoken about our middle order batting, we have two in-form openers and that is an advantage for us. We have to improve our middle order batting, we want to execute than talking. We have one change—Wellalage for Theekshana.”
Wellalage’s left-arm orthodox spin offers a fresh variation against Afghanistan’s predominantly right-handed batting unit, while his lower-order hitting depth addresses Sri Lanka’s middle-order fragility exposed in recent matches. Theekshana has endured a lean run in T20Is this season, struggling for wickets and registering an economy rate above eight, prompting the management to prioritise batting reinforcement over spin depth.
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Afghanistan’s tactical response for a crucial game
Afghanistan have responded with two changes of their own, bringing in Darwish Rasooli and off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman for Allah Ghazanfar and all-rounder Gulbadin Naib. Captain Rashid stressed the importance of simplicity: “Runs on the board are important on this wicket. It is a must-win game, we have to keep it simple and do the basics right. It is a new surface, we have played a lot in Abu Dhabi; 165+ is a good score. We have a couple of changes.”
Rasooli bolsters the top and middle order after Afghanistan’s batting collapse chasing 155 against Bangladesh, while Mujeeb’s experience complements Rashid Khan’s leg spin and Noor Ahmad’s left-arm spin to form a potent spin trio.
Sheikh Zayed Stadium’s reputation for high-scoring contests means that setting or chasing 165-plus could be decisive. Sri Lanka’s net run rate advantage grants them a buffer—only an unlikely heavy defeat would eliminate them. Afghanistan, however, have no margin for error; only victory ensures Super Four progression. The head-to-head battle between Wellalage’s left-arm spin and Afghanistan’s spin trio against Sri Lanka’s middle order is set to be a defining subplot. Each team’s tactical tweaks reflect the pressure of the Group B minefield and highlight how small adjustments can sway qualification fortunes in this tight Asia Cup group.
Playing XI of both the teams
Sri Lanka XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (c), Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara
Afghanistan XI: Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (c), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
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