Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan 2nd ODI: Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium Pitch Report, Team Records at Hambantota

Hosts Sri Lanka are currently playing a three-match ODI series at home against Afghanistan and the second ODI encounter is scheduled to be played on 4 June, 2023 at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota. The visiting Afghanistan team will definitely be feeling very much high on confidence as they are coming into this game on the back of an excellent 6-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the first ODI match at the very same venue. Sri Lanka will surely be eyeing to make a strong comeback to level the ODI series.

Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium Pitch Report

The pitch at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium is a flat track, where both batsmen and bowlers receive equal assistance throughout the match, regardless of the innings. However, the presence of a well-established batsman becomes crucial as the pitch gradually becomes more favorable for scoring runs. Initially, there will be slight movement available for the pacers with the new ball, but as the game progresses, they will find it increasingly challenging to extract significant advantage from the pitch. Conversely, spinners are expected to relish bowling on this wicket, as its sluggish nature makes it difficult for batsmen to survive. Considering the teams’ strong spin bowling capabilities, a thrilling, low-scoring SL vs AFG match is anticipated on Sunday.

Given the conditions, the team winning the toss would likely opt to field first. As the match unfolds, batting becomes considerably easier on this surface, making it advantageous to chase a target. These factors set the stage for an intriguing contest, with both teams relying on their spinners to dominate proceedings and the batsmen aiming to make the most of the conditions.

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Team Records at Hambantota

• Out of the 23 ODI matches played at this venue, 11 games have been won by chasing teams while teams batting first have won as many as 9 times.
• The average first innings total will remain around 250 – 260 mark on this ground.
• Sri Lanka recorded the highest total of 368 for 4 against Pakistan in Hambantota.

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