Afghanistan opt to bowl in bid to keep series alive; Mathews fit for SL

The visitors brought in Hazratullah Zazai in place of Qais Ahmad at Pallekele

Afghanistan have won the toss and chosen to bowl in the second T20I against Sri Lanka at Pallekele, perhaps expecting dew to hamper the team bowling second. They had narrowly lost the first T20I chasing, however.

Sri Lanka made no changes to the XI that won by four runs on Saturday. There was some doubt over Angelo Mathews' involvement, due to a hamstring niggle. But he passed a fitness test ahead of this match however, and is clear to play.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, strengthened their batting, bringing Hazratullah Zazai into the XI in place of legspin-bowling allrounder Qais Ahmad. Qais had been expensive in the last T20I, leaking 36 from three overs. Hazratullah has not played a match on this tour yet.

Sri Lanka: 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Dhananjaya de Silva, 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Dasun Shanaka, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga (capt), 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Binura Fernando, 11 Matheesha Pathirana

Afghanistan: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran (capt), 3 Hazratullah Zazai, 4 Gulbadin Naib, 5 Azmatullah Omarzai, 6 Najibullah Zadran, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Karim Janat, 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 Fazalhaq Farooqi, 11 Naveen ul Haq

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