World Cup 2023: Afghan Wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil Sustains Finger Injury Against Sri Lanka

Afghanistan wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil sustained an injury on his finger during the ODI World Cup clash against Sri Lanka on Monday at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune. Alikhil got hit on the finger while collecting a ball and left the ground in pain.

It happened on the fifth ball of the second over when Dimuth Karunaratne drove the ball towards the covers. Rahmat Shah didn’t waste much time to grab the ball and he threw it towards the keeper’s end but it was a bit wide as Alikhil attempted to collect it from one hand but the ball hit his finger. He looked in immense pain and left the field as Rahmanullah Gurbaz took charge of wicketkeeping duties for the team.

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Meanwhile, Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka’s impressive run of successive World Cup fifties came to an end when he was out for 46 against Afghanistan in Pune.

Nissanka was in sight of his fifth half-century in six matches this tournament when he was caught behind trying to cut Afghanistan paceman Azmatullah Omarzai to end a 60-ball innings including five fours.

Live Score Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka ODI World Cup 2023

Meanwhile, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Afghanistan, bidding for their third win this tournament against a World Cup champion, made one change to the side from their previous clash where they hammered Pakistan by 8 wickets. Pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi replaced wrist spinner Noor Ahmad despite his 3-49 on what was his World Cup debut versus Pakistan/

Sri Lanka, the 1996 World Cup winners, made two changes.

Injury replacement Dushmantha Chameera came straight into the side after fellow paceman Lahiru Kumara was ruled out of the rest of the World Cup by a thigh-muscle injury sustained during training.

Kumara took 3-35 in Sri Lanka’s eight-wicket hammering of World Cup holders England — also beaten by Afghanistan — in Bengaluru on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Dimuth Karunaratne replaced Kusal Perera at the top of the order.

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wkt), Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah, Azmat Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis (capt/wkt), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka