The 2023 ICC World Cup Qualifier is set to get underway on Monday, June 19, with a clash between former champions Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates. The match will be played at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
Sri Lanka is the clear favorite in this match, as they are currently ranked ninth in the ICC ODI rankings. The Lankans have a strong batting line-up, led by Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, and Kusal Mendis. They also have a bowling attack that is capable of taking wickets on any surface, led by Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana.
The UAE is a much lower-ranked team, but they will not be intimidated by Sri Lanka. The Emiratis have some talented players, such as Muhammad Waseem, Vriitya Aravind, and Rohan Mustafa. They will also be playing at home, which could give them an advantage.
This match is a must-win for both teams. Sri Lanka needs to get off to a good start in the Qualifiers if they want to qualify for the 2023 World Cup. The UAE, on the other hand, needs to prove that they are capable of competing against the top teams in the world.
The match is scheduled to start at 12:30 PM IST. It will be telecast live on Star Sports Network in India. It will also be available for live streaming on Disney+ Hotstar and FanCode.
A Look at the Squads
Sri Lanka
- Pathum Nissanka
- Dimuth Karunaratne
- Kusal Mendis (wk)
- Charith Asalanka
- Sadeera Samarawickrama
- Dhananjaya de Silva
- Dasun Shanaka (c)
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Maheesh Theekshana
- Dushmantha Chameera
- Lahiru Kumara
- Chamika Karunaratne
- Kasun Rajitha
- Matheesha Pathirana
- Dushan Hemantha
UAE
- Muhammad Waseem (c)
- Aryansh Sharma
- Vriitya Aravind (wk)
- Asif Khan
- Rohan Mustafa
- Aayan Afzal Khan
- Sanchit Sharma
- Karthik Meiyappan
- Junaid Siddique
- Zahoor Khan
- Rameez Shahzad
- Basil Hameed
- Ali Naseer
- Ethan DSouza
- Muhammad Jawadullah
The Players to Watch Out For
Sri Lanka
- Pathum Nissanka: The young opener is in red-hot form, having scored two centuries in his last three ODI innings.
- Wanindu Hasaranga: The leg-spinner is one of the most dangerous bowlers in the world in limited-overs cricket.
- Maheesh Theekshana: The mystery spinner is another young bowler who is capable of taking wickets on any surface.
UAE
- Muhammad Waseem: The captain is a hard-hitting batsman who can score runs quickly.
- Rohan Mustafa: The all-rounder is a handy bowler and a capable batsman.
- Aayan Afzal Khan: The young fast bowler is capable of generating pace and bounce.
This is sure to be an exciting match, and it will be interesting to see which team comes out on top
