Afghanistan will begin their first-ever bilateral ODI series against neighbours Pakistan with the first ODI set to take place at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota on Tuesday. Both sides will be aiming for a win in the three-match ODI series in the buildup to the Asia Cup 2023 tournament which gets underway in Multan on August 30.

Afghanistan success in limited-overs cricket has been largely centred around spinners led by Rashid Khan and Mujeeb ur Rahman. However, the home side will look to build on the pace bowling front as well ahead of Asia Cup 2023 and Cricket World Cup 2023. “Now we are trying to bring balance in our bowling attack and as the Asia Cup and World Cup is approaching, we don’t want to be dependent on any particular department in our bowling. Spin wise we are very good and there is no doubt about it. But if you come to fast bowling there is Farooqi, who is world number two in T20Is, and there is Farid Malik, Naveen (Naveen ul Haq), Azmat (Azmatullah Omarzai) Nizaat Masood and you see the new guy Abdur Rehman can bowl up to 140 and there is Salim Safi and Wafadar Momand so there is back-up in fast bowling unit,” Afghanistan bowling coach Hamid Hassan told Cricbuzz website.

Babar Azam’s Pakistan will rely on their pace bowling resources led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf. All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan will take up the spin bowling responsibility.

Skipper Babar Azam and batters Mohammad Haris and Fakhar Zaman have had plenty of experience in Sri Lanka conditions have taken part in just-concluded Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023.

Venue: Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota, Sri Lanka

Date & Time: August 22, 3pm IST onwards

Live Streaming and TV details: Fancode website and app

Afghanistan vs Pakistan 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction

Wicketkeepers: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mohammad Rizwan

Batters: Ibrahim Zadran, Babar Azam

All-rounders: Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed

Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah

Captain: Babar Azam

Vice-captain: Mohammad Rizwan

Afghanistan vs Pakistan 1st ODI Predicted 11

Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), R Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman

Pakistan: Babar Azam (C), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Haris, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf