COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and elected to bat Wednesday in the third and final one-day cricket international against Sri Lanka at Pallekele.
Sri Lanka, which has an unassailable 2-0 series lead, rested strike spin bowlers Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana ahead of the three-match Twenty20 series, allowing game time for Akila Dhananjaya and Dunith Wellalage.
Afghanistan is aiming to regain confidence with a win after falling apart following a good start in Game 2 and losing nine wickets for 25 runs, leading to a 155-run defeat.
Afghanistan has dropped Gulbadin Naib and Noor Ahmed and called up left-am spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf and fast bowler Fareed Ahmad.
Lineups:
Sri Lanka: Kusal Mendis (captain), Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Akila Dananjaya, Asitha Fernando, Pramod Madushan, Dilshan Madushanka.
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikil, Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Nabi, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Qais Ahmad.
