Rashid Khan returns for Afghanistan-Sri Lanka series-decider

Leg-spinner Rashid Khan was back in action for Afghanistan on Wednesday as the tourists opted to bat first against Sri Lanka in the third and final one-day international.

The series is level at 1-1 with Afghanistan winning the first ODI by six wickets and then Sri Lanka squaring it with a 132-run win in the second.

Afghanistan left out Noor Ahamd for Rashid -- who had missed the first two ODIs with a back strain -- while all-rounder Gulbadin Naib replaced Azmatullah Omarzai.

Sri Lanka brought in fast bowler Lahiru Kumara for Kasun Rajitha.

Kumara had pulled out halfway through his fifth over in the first ODI with a hamstring strain and has recovered.

There was no place for former captain Angelo Mathews, who was dropped after the first ODI.

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik,  Rashid Khan, Gulbadin Naib, Rahmat Shah and Ibrahim Zadran.

Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara

Source - AFP

-Agencies