Cricket World Cup 2023 betting tips: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka predictions & odds

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is underway and one of the most intriguing matches in the group stage is the clash between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, which will take place on Monday, 30 October 2023 at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune. This will be the Match 30 of the ICC CWC, 2023. Both teams are looking for their second win in the tournament after losing to India and England respectively. Here are some betting tips and predictions for this exciting encounter.

Head to Head

Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have played each other only four times in ODI cricket, with Sri Lanka winning three and Afghanistan winning one. The last time they met was in the World Cup 2019, where Sri Lanka won by 34 runs (DLS method) in a rain-affected match. Afghanistan had bowled out Sri Lanka for 201 in 36.5 overs, but could not chase down the revised target of 187 in 41 overs, losing nine wickets for 152 runs. Nuwan Pradeep was the star of the match, taking four wickets for 31 runs.

Team News

Afghanistan have a balanced squad with some explosive batsmen and quality spinners. They have shown their potential by beating Pakistan by eight wickets in their previous match, chasing down 283 with ease. Ibrahim Zadran scored a brilliant 87 off 113 balls, while Rashid Khan took three wickets for 48 runs. Afghanistan will be hoping to repeat their performance and cause another upset in the tournament.

Sri Lanka have a young and inexperienced squad, with only a few players having played more than 50 ODIs. They have struggled to find consistency and form in recent times, losing to England by 137 runs in their last match. Their batting has been their main weakness, as they failed to chase down 366 and were bowled out for 227. Sadeera Samarawickrama was the top scorer with 91 off 107 balls, while Dushmantha Chameera took three wickets for 50 runs. Sri Lanka will need to improve their batting and fielding if they want to challenge Afghanistan.

Betting Odds

According to Bet365, Afghanistan are the favourites to win this match, with odds of 1.66, while Sri Lanka are the underdogs, with odds of 2.20. The odds for a tie or no result are 34.00.

Predictions

Afghanistan have a slight edge over Sri Lanka, as they have more confidence and momentum after beating Pakistan. They also have a stronger bowling attack, especially in spin, which could trouble the Sri Lankan batsmen on a slow pitch. However, Sri Lanka cannot be underestimated, as they have some talented players who can perform on their day. They also have more experience of playing in World Cups and big tournaments.

We predict that Afghanistan will win this match by a narrow margin, as they have more firepower and depth in their batting and bowling. We expect a low-scoring match, with both teams struggling to score freely. We also expect some individual brilliance from both sides, such as a century from Zadran or a five-wicket haul from Pradeep.

Conclusion

The match between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka is expected to be a close and thrilling contest, with both teams fighting for survival in the tournament. We think that Afghanistan will emerge victorious, as they have more quality and consistency than Sri Lanka. However, we also expect some surprises and twists along the way, as both teams have the potential to upset each other.