Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka is a competitive rivalry in cricket. Their first encounter was in the 2014 Asia Cup, which Sri Lanka won comfortably.
Then followed a few meetings in multinational tournaments, with Sri Lanka have largely held the upper hand. But both sides have been playing each other more frequently since 2022.
Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have played plenty of white-ball games on a bilateral level. Sri Lanka, of course, keep the upper hand.
But it’s in the multinational competitions where Afghans have come good against the Lankans. Take, for instance, their battles in the Asia Cups. Overall, Sri Lanka clearly lead (ODIs 10–4, T20Is 5–3, Tests 1–0. In Asia Cup encounters, Sri Lanka have a slight edge, while overall in ODIs and T20Is, they maintain a clear lead.
Read more: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Head-to-Head T20
In the ODI World Cup, Sri Lanka take the lead. But Afghanistan secured a memorable win in 2023.
And they would like to repeat the same in the Asia Cup 2025. The Afghans and the Lankans will be up against each other on September 18, 2025, in Abu Dhabi.
Here, you can look at the head-to-head timeline between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, including notable records and highlights.
Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Players (2025)
| Role | Afghanistan | Sri Lanka |
|---|---|---|
| Captain | Rashid Khan | Charith Asalanka |
| Batters | Darwish Rasooli, Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Sediqullah Atal | Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamil Mishara, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera |
| All-Rounders | Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf | Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka |
| Wicketkeeper | Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Kusal Mendis |
| Bowlers | Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, AM Ghazanfar, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad | Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Theekshana, Nuwan Thushara, Dunith Wellalage |
Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka Head-to-Head Timeline (Recent 10 Matches)
| Year | Match | Format | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | SL vs AFG, 3rd T20I | T20I | Dambulla | AFG won by 3 runs |
| 2024 | SL vs AFG, 2nd T20I | T20I | Dambulla | SL won by 72 runs |
| 2024 | SL vs AFG, 1st T20I | T20I | Dambulla | SL won by 4 runs |
| 2024 | SL vs AFG, 3rd ODI | ODI | Pallekele | SL won by 7 wickets |
| 2024 | SL vs AFG, 2nd ODI | ODI | Pallekele | SL won by 155 runs |
| 2024 | SL vs AFG, 1st ODI | ODI | Pallekele | SL won by 42 runs |
| 2024 | SL vs AFG, Only Test | Test | Colombo (SSC) | SL won by 10 wickets |
| 2023 | Cricket World Cup | ODI | Pune | AFG won by 7 wickets |
| 2023 | Asian Games | T20I | Hangzhou | AFG won by 8 runs |
| 2023 | Asia Cup | ODI | Lahore | SL won by 2 runs |
Read Also:- Afghanistan Highest Score in Asia Cup (T20 & ODI)
Notable Records and Highlights
Test Cricket
- Sri Lanka lead by 1-0 in Tests.
- First Test in 2024: Sri Lanka won in a dominant way by 10 wickets
- Veterans Angelo Mathews (141) and Dinesh Chandimal (107) hammered Afghan bowlers. Prabath Jayasuriya starred with eight wickets; Asitha Fernando supported well with six scalps.
- Ibrahim Zadran (114) and Rahmat Shah (91) showed resistance against experienced Lankan bowlers.
- Sri Lanka chased the 56-run target with 10 wickets in hand. This was their 11th Test win by 10 wickets.
ODI Cricket
- Sri Lanka dominate over Afghanistan by 10-4 in ODIs.
- First ODI in 2014: Met in the Asia Cup. Afghan bowlers did well to restrict Sri Lanka to 253 for 6, but Afghanistan’s batting collapsed in the chase.
- First Afghan win: Four years later, Afghanistan took revenge. They defeated Sri Lanka by 91 runs in the 2018 Asia Cup fixture.
- World Cup victories: Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan comfortably in 2015 and 2019. Afghanistan gave it back in 2023, with a memorable win.
- Fazalhaq Farooqi’s 4 for 34 spell scripted Afghanistan’s first World Cup win against Sri Lanka. Azmatullah Omarzai (73*), Rahmat (62), and Hashmatullah Shahidi (58*) were the heroes with the bat.
- Top run-scorer: Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka (688 runs)
- Top wicket-taker: Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga (15 wickets)
T20I Cricket
- Sri Lanka take the edge over Afghanistan with a 5-3 record in T20Is.
- First T20I in 2016: Afghanistan put up a fighting 153 for 7 on the board in the T20 World Cup fixture. Sri Lanka thrashed it with six wickets to spare.
- First Afghan win: In the 2022 Asia Cup, Afghanistan bundled out Sri Lanka for 105 and chased the target in 10.1 overs.
- Sri Lanka counter-attack: Sri Lanka hit back in the Super Four and later defeated Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup 2022.
- Asian Games: Afghanistan clinched a low-scoring thriller against Sri Lanka in the 2023 Asian Games.
- Top run-scorer: Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz (248 runs)
- Top wicket-taker: Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga (8 wickets)
Upcoming Schedule (Asia Cup 2025)
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 18, 2025 | Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka, 11th Match, Group B | Abu Dhabi | 8:00 PM |
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Standings (Asia Cup 2025)
| Team | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | +1.546 |
| Bangladesh | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -0.270 |
| Afghanistan | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +2.150 |
| Hong Kong (E) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.151 |
Group B Battle:
Sri Lanka sit on top of Group B with two wins and look strong favorites to qualify for the Super Four. Bangladesh also have four points but with a weaker NRR, keeping the group alive. Afghanistan remain in contention with one win, and their upcoming match against Sri Lanka will be crucial for Super Four hopes. Hong Kong are already eliminated after three straight losses.
Where to Watch Asia Cup 2025 – Broadcasting and Live Streaming Info
Telecast: Sony Sports Network
Live Stream: Sony Liv and FanCode
Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan has become an exciting rivalry in recent years. Sri Lanka have more wins, but Afghanistan have proved they can shock big teams. Their Asia Cup 2025 match in Abu Dhabi will be very important for Super Four spots, and fans can expect a close and thrilling game.
