Pakistan to face Afghanistan in 3-match ODI series

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – Pakistan is set to face Afghanistan in the first fixture of a three-match One-Day International (ODI) series being played in Sri Lank, a neutral venue, on Tuesday.

The opening match is being played in Hambantota, with the remaining two will be played in Colombo on Thursday and Saturday.

This is the first bilateral ODI series between the two neighbors that will be followed by the six-nation Asia Cup, which will begin on Aug. 30 in Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and the World Cup in India from Oct. 5.

Favorite green shirts armed with a formidable pace battery eye the home-and-away series, though Afghan players, some of them started playing cricket in Pakistan, have given tough competition to the former in recent matches.

Pakistan will rely on its skipper, Babar Azam, the top-ranked ODI player, along with left-handed batsmen Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq, who are ranked third and fourth, respectively.

Afghan batsmen have to face the daunting pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf.

Afghanistan will be counting on their world-class spinner Rashid Khan, together with skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi.

Young fast bowlers Abdul Rahman, Mohammad Saleem Safi, and Wafadar Momand will test the nerves of Pakistan's top-class batting.