ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023: Sri Lanka vs UAE
Match Preview
The ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers commenced on June 18, and we witnessed an impressive start with the first two matches. The hosts of the tournament, Zimbabwe, comfortably won the first match, while West Indies secured a decent 39-run victory in the second match. On June 18, the third match will be played between Sri Lanka and UAE at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo. Sri Lanka is confident about their performance in this fixture, while UAE aims to give their best on the field.
Pitch Report
The pitch is fresh, and the captains would prefer to bowl first. Initially, the surface might be a bit slow, but as the game progresses, it becomes better for batting.
Teams Preview
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has been shaping up well for the upcoming ICC CWC 2023 in India. They recently defeated Afghanistan in a 3-match ODI series at home, winning it 2-1. They enter this match on the back of that series win and appear to be the favorites for qualifying for the World Cup.
Dasun Shanaka has emerged as a strong leader for Sri Lanka. The top order includes the stylish Pathum Nissanka and the experienced southpaw Dimuth Karunaratne, who made a strong comeback in the ODIs for Sri Lanka. The middle order is robust with the likes of Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka, and the wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis.
The bowlers have also shown discipline in their lines and lengths. Kasun Rajitha, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, and Maheesh Thikshana will be crucial in handling the proceedings.
UAE
Currently, UAE has had some weak performances that have cost them matches. They suffered a 3-0 defeat in a three-match series at home against West Indies, where they were completely thrashed. They aim to rectify their mistakes in this must-win tournament.
Muhammed Waseem will lead the team, but there are concerns about his form. He bats at the top order but is yet to deliver. The experienced Vritya Aravind and Basil Hameed will be key players in the middle order. Ali Naseer, the star all-rounder of the team, has been in exceptional form. He scored back-to-back fifties against West Indies and also made valuable contributions with the ball.
The bowlers need to step up and perform. Their economies have been on the higher side, and they have struggled to take crucial wickets. Zahoor Khan will be the key bowler who can provide early breakthroughs. Karthik Meiyappan has been brilliant for his team and will be an important asset in the spin department.
Head-to-Head Records
Whenever these teams have faced each other, Sri Lanka has emerged victorious in both games, while UAE has not won any.
| Matches Played | SL won | UAE won | Tie | No Result |
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Key Players to Watch
To understand their current form, we consider the statistics from the recently concluded ICC CWC 2023 Qualifiers warm-up matches.
Team Sri Lanka
| Player | Matches | Runs | Batting Average | Batting S. Rate | Wickets | Average Wickets |
| D Karunaratne | 2 | 158 | 79 | 101.9 | ||
| K Mendis | 2 | 132 | 66 | 115.7 | ||
| D Shanaka | 2 | 122 | 122 | 110.9 | ||
| K Rajitha | 2 | 5 | 9.4 | |||
| M Pathirana | 2 | 5 | 13.4 |
Team UAE
| Player | Matches | Runs | Batting Average | Batting S. Rate | Wickets | Average Wickets |
| B Hameed | 2 | 122 | 122 | 110.9 | ||
| A Naseer | 2 | 5 | 15 | |||
| K Meiyappan | 2 | 4 | 19 |
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, Matheesha Pathirana, Dushan Hemantha, Kasun Rajitha
United Arab Emirates
Muhammad Waseem (c), Aryansh Sharma, Vriitya Aravind (wk), Asif Khan, Rohan Mustafa, Basil Hameed, Ali Naseer, Aayan Afzal Khan, Sanchit Sharma, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Zahoor Khan, Rameez Shahzad, Muhammad Jawadullah, Ethan DSouza
Sri Lanka vs UAE Fantasy Predictions
Sri Lanka
United Arab Emirates
Predicted Playing XI
Sri Lanka
Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Charith Asalanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Thikshana, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana
UAE
Muhammad Waseem (c), Aryansh Sharma, Vriitya Aravind (wk), Asif Khan, Rohan Mustafa, Basil Hameed, Ali Naseer, Aayan Afzal Khan, Sanchit Sharma, Karthik Meiyappan, Zahoor Khan
Fantasy Playing XI
Based on the stats above, this could be the fantasy team.
Conclusion
In the Sri Lanka vs UAE matchup, Sri Lanka would be pleased with their form and they are determined to win this fixture comfortably. However, they need to be cautious about their lower order, which hasn’t been tested due to the good performances of the top order. On the other hand, UAE is hoping for a better performance than their previous outings. They should fight till the end to provide good competition. This promises to be an exciting contest. Will Sri Lanka dominate, or will UAE create some magic? Let’s wait for the results to come.
