Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka Highlights Asia Cup: SL beat AFG by 2 runs, qualify for Super 4s

Mohammad Nabi comes into the attack and he starts with an economical over, which results in three singles. 

Gulbadin follows it up with another tight over as three runs come from it. SL: 71/1 (13 overs)

Gulbadin Naib gives Afghanistan the first breakthrough as Dimuth Karunaratne falls for 32(35). It was short of a length delivery, plenty of width was available and Karunaratne tried to play it over covers. However, he ends up chipping it straight to Mohammad Nabi, who takes the simplest of catch. SL: 65/1 (11 overs)

Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka add 62 runs in the first powerplay as Afghanistan's wait for a wicket continues.

The boundaries keep coming as Gulbadin Naib bowls it at Karunaratne's pads, who then pulls it to the left of square leg. 

Nissanka gives Mujeeb the same treatment in the next over, hitting the ball towards long-on for a boundary. SL: 49-0 (8 overs)

Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka give Sri Lanka a powerful start. The pair take Sri Lanka to 36/0 in 5 overs. 

Farooqi strays on Karunaratne's pads and he just flicks it away through midwicket. Second four of the over and it looks like there will be a lot of these today.

Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne open the batting for Sri Lanka, Fazalhaq Farooqi with the ball for Afghanistan.

Afghanistan's national anthem plays first and then comes Sri Lanka's

The permutations are endless but the strongest way for Afghanistan to take a Super 4s spot today, now that they are bowling first, they have to chase down whatever target Sri Lanka post in 35 overs. 

Honestly we wanted to bowl first because NRR is a big factor for us so we wanted to chase. We will try our best to take good decisions and play positively. We go with the same team.

Going to bat first, runs on the board always handy. We played some good cricket. We need to win this game, need to do the right things with bat and ball. They (Afghanistan) are a good side. Same team.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis(w), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka(c), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana

Sri Lanka win toss and choose to bat first. 

Right, Hashmatullah Shahidi has taken his place beside Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka. Seconds away from the toss now. 

The world is probably more familiar with Rashid's T20 exploits but he has proven himself to be a tough opponent in the other two formats as well. In 93 ODIs, Rashid has taken 170 wickets at an average of just 19.38 and strike rate of 27.7. He has played just five Test matches in which he has taken 34 wickets as well.

Rashid had gone wicketless in Afghanistan's previous match, as stated earlier. That was just the third time in his ODI career that he could not pick a single wicket in a match.

It is not like Afghanistan don't have any batting stars at all. Rahmanullah Gurbaaz and Ibrahim Zadran particularly could feel right at home on a batter-friendly pitch.

The Gaddafi Stadium has been a batting friendly venue with very little in it for the spinners. Both sides have game-changing spinners but Afghanistan are arguably are far more reliant on them than Sri Lanka are. This could be a difficult day for the Afghans. 

Out of the 10 matches played between these two sides, Sri Lanka have won six. However, Afganistan have won three of the last eight ODIs played between these two sides. The most recent of those victories was also the last time Sri Lanka lost an ODI thus far.

Here it is then. Hop over here for more. 

Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman are the biggest stars in this team and this comes from sustained excellence in the matches that they play around the world. But against Bangladesh, they both concede over six runs an over and Rashid went wicketless.

Afghanistan's twitter handle shared photos of the players reaching the venue