Sri Lanka’s team boasts players with a wealth of Test experience, with one player having more than 100 Tests under his belt. In contrast, Afghanistan has only played seven Tests and is likely to have debutants on Friday. Despite this apparent mismatch, Afghanistan has a history of surprising opponents. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi acknowledges the experience gap but remains confident in his team’s abilities.
Afghanistan has had recent success against Sri Lanka in ODIs, winning two out of five matches. They also delivered a significant blow to Sri Lanka’s hopes in the World Cup with a convincing seven-wicket victory. Shahidi remains optimistic about his team’s chances, emphasizing their strength as a nation and their recent performances on the international stage. Despite the absence of key player Rashid, Shahidi believes in the potential of Afghanistan’s spinners and hopes they will perform well in the upcoming Test match.
As Afghanistan continues to grow in the Test format, they recognize the need to develop their seam bowling department. Shahidi sees this tour as an opportunity to address this deficiency and improve the team’s overall capabilities. Afghanistan is determined to enhance their performance and establish themselves as a competitive Test nation.
