Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka Cricket: Complete Timeline, Head-to-Head Stats, and Match Records
The afghanistan national cricket team vs sri lanka national cricket team timeline spans from 2014 to the present across 37 international matches in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. Sri Lanka lead the overall head-to-head 25–10, but Afghanistan have won 4 of the last 10 meetings. The rivalry divides sharply by venue-Afghanistan are winless in 10 attempts on Sri Lankan soil and hold a 40% win rate on neutral ground since 2018. For anyone tracking the AFG vs SL cricket rivalry, the venue split explains everything the overall record does not.
.Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka: Head-to-Head Summary
Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have played 37 matches across all three international formats since their first meeting in 2014. Sri Lanka lead 25–10 overall, but Afghanistan’s win rate on neutral pitches stands at 40%-a number that separates this rivalry from a straightforward one-sided fixture.
| Format | Matches | AFG Wins | SL Wins | No Result |
| Test | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ODI | 15 | 4 | 10 | 1 |
| T20I | 21 | 6 | 14 | 1 |
| Total | 37 | 10 | 25 | 2 |
Latest result: Sri Lanka won by 6 wickets-Asia Cup T20I, Abu Dhabi, September 18, 2025- Afghanistan’s biggest win: 91 runs-Asia Cup ODI, Abu Dhabi, 2018
- Sri Lanka’s biggest win: 155 runs-2nd ODI, Kandy, February 11, 2024
- First meeting: Sri Lanka won by 129 runs-Asia Cup ODI, Mirpur, March 3, 2014
Sri Lanka completely dominates this rivalry. Afghanistan have won 4 of the last 10 meetings across formats since 2023. On neutral pitches since 2018, Afghanistan’s win rate against Sri Lanka is 40%-10 wins from 25 matches. Sri Lanka’s overall lead is built almost entirely on bilateral cricket played on home soil in Sri Lanka, where Afghanistan are 0 from 10.
Last 5 Completed Matches
Sri Lanka have won 4 of the last 5 completed matches between these teams. Afghanistan’s one win in this recent run-the third Dambulla T20I in February 2024-came chasing 206, the highest successful T20I chase Afghanistan have made against Sri Lanka in this AFG vs SL cricket rivalry record.
| Date | Format | Venue | Winner | Margin |
| Sep 18, 2025 | T20I-Asia Cup | Abu Dhabi | Sri Lanka | 6 wickets |
| Feb 21, 2024 | T20I-3rd T20I | Dambulla | Afghanistan | 3 runs |
| Feb 17, 2024 | T20I-1st T20I | Dambulla | Sri Lanka | 4 runs |
| Feb 14, 2024 | ODI-3rd ODI | Pallekele | Sri Lanka | 7 wickets |
| Feb 11, 2024 | ODI-2nd ODI | Kandy | Sri Lanka | 155 runs |
Why Afghanistan’s 3-Run Win in Dambulla Matters
The third Dambulla T20I on February 21, 2024 was not just a consolation result. Afghanistan were chasing 206 runs-a score that most T20 teams would consider a match-winning total on a used pitch. They got there with 3 runs to spare. No Afghanistan team had ever chased down a total of that size against Sri Lanka before. It confirmed that Afghanistan’s T20I batting depth, beyond just Rashid Khan‘s bowling, had matured into a genuine match-winning asset.
Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka: Complete Year-by-Year Timeline
The complete afghanistan national cricket team vs sri lanka national cricket team timeline runs from 2014 to 2026 and shows a measurable shift in competitive balance-from complete Sri Lanka dominance in the early years to a genuine contest in neutral-venue cricket by 2022 onwards.
| Year | Event | Result | What It Confirmed |
| 2014 | Asia Cup ODI, Mirpur | SL won by 129 runs | First-ever meeting, Afghanistan dismissed for 211 |
| 2015 | ODI World Cup, Dunedin | SL won by 4 wickets | Afghanistan posted 232, first World Cup contest |
| 2016 | T20 World Cup, Kolkata | SL won by 6 wickets | First-ever T20I between the two nations |
| 2018 | Asia Cup ODI, Abu Dhabi | AFG won by 91 runs | Afghanistan’s first major win over SL in a global tournament |
| 2019 | ODI World Cup, Cardiff | SL won by 34 runs (D/L) | Nuwan Pradeep Player of the Match, closest WC encounter to that point |
| 2022 | ODI bilateral, Pallekele | AFG won 1st ODI | Ibrahim Zadran 106, first bilateral ODI win against Sri Lanka |
| 2022 | Asia Cup T20, Sharjah | Split 1–1 | First T20I series split, parity in the format confirmed |
| 2023 | Asia Cup ODI, Lahore | SL won by 2 runs | Narrowest match in rivalry history at that point |
| 2023 | ODI World Cup, Pune | AFG won by 7 wickets | SL 241 all out, AFG 242/3 in 45.2 overs-most emphatic AFG win |
| 2024 | Only Test, Colombo | SL won by 10 wickets | Afghanistan posted 198 and 296, SL replied with 439 |
| 2024 | ODI bilateral, Pallekele | SL won 3–0 | Largest bilateral ODI series win for SL over Afghanistan |
| 2024 | T20I series, Dambulla | SL won 2–1 | Both teams posted 200-plus totals for the first time in this rivalry |
| 2025 | Asia Cup T20, Abu Dhabi | SL won by 6 wickets | Kusal Mendis 74* anchored Sri Lanka’s chase of 170 |
| 2026 | T20I, Sharjah (series abandoned) | AFG won by 4 runs | Only match completed before series was called off |
Rivalry Stats by Era
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Afghanistan had 0 wins from 6 meetings between 2014 and 2017. Since 2018, they have won 10 from 31-a 32% overall win rate that rises to 40% on neutral pitches.
| Period | AFG Wins | SL Wins | AFG Win % |
| 2014–2017 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| 2018–2021 | 3 | 5 | 37.5% |
| 2022–2026 | 7 | 15 | 32% |
The jump from 0% to 37.5% between the first and second era is the clearest single measure of how the Afghanistan national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team matchup has changed since Afghanistan’s 2018 Asia Cup win.
Venue Win Percentages: The Most Decisive Stat
Afghanistan are 0 from 10 in Sri Lanka across all formats. On neutral venues, they have won 10 of 25 matches-a 40% win rate. This venue split explains the AFG vs SL head-to-head better than the overall tally alone.
| Venue Type | AFG Wins | SL Wins | Matches | AFG Win % |
| In Sri Lanka | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0% |
| Neutral venues | 10 | 15 | 25 | 40% |
What This Means for Upcoming ICC Fixtures
When these two teams meet at ICC tournaments on neutral pitches-as they have nine times since 2014-Afghanistan’s win probability is substantially higher than their overall record suggests. Afghanistan’s two biggest wins (91 runs in 2018, 7 wickets in 2023) both came on neutral ground. Any team or analyst using only the 25–10 overall scoreline to assess this fixture on a neutral pitch is working with incomplete data.
ICC Tournament Meetings: Complete Record
In ICC tournament cricket, Afghanistan have won 3 of their 9 meetings with Sri Lanka. Both of Afghanistan’s largest tournament victories-the 91-run Asia Cup win in 2018 and the 7-wicket ODI World Cup win in 2023-came when neither team was playing on home soil.
| Tournament | Year | Result | Margin | Player of the Match |
| Asia Cup ODI | 2014 | SL won | 129 runs | — |
| ODI World Cup | 2015 | SL won | 4 wickets | — |
| T20 World Cup | 2016 | SL won | 6 wickets | — |
| Asia Cup ODI | 2018 | AFG won | 91 runs | — |
| ODI World Cup | 2019 | SL won | 34 runs (D/L) | Nuwan Pradeep |
| Asia Cup T20 | 2022 | Split 1–1 | — | — |
| Asia Cup ODI | 2023 | SL won | 2 runs | — |
| ODI World Cup | 2023 | AFG won | 7 wickets | Azmatullah Omarzai (73*) |
| Asia Cup T20 | 2025 | SL won | 6 wickets | Kusal Mendis (74*) |
The 2023 Pune Win: Why It Stands Apart
The ODI World Cup match on October 30, 2023 in Pune is the most significant result in the entire Afghanistan national cricket team vs sri lanka national cricket team timeline. Sri Lanka were dismissed for 241 in 49.3 overs. Afghanistan chased it down in 45.2 overs, finishing at 242/3-with 28 balls to spare. Azmatullah Omarzai (73* off 63 balls) and Hashmatullah Shahidi (58* off 74 balls) finished the job together in a partnership that was never in doubt from the 35th over onwards. On a World Cup stage, against a full-strength Sri Lanka, this was the clearest statement Afghanistan had made in the history of this rivalry.
ODI Head-to-Head: Format Records
In the Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka ODI head-to-head, Sri Lanka lead 10–4 with 1 no result from 15 ODIs. All four Afghanistan wins have come on neutral or away pitches-Sri Lanka have not lost an ODI to Afghanistan on home soil.
Highest ODI Team Totals
| Team | Total | Venue | Year |
| Sri Lanka | 381/3 | Pallekele | 2024 |
| Sri Lanka | 339/6 | Pallekele | 2024 |
| Afghanistan | 313/8 | Pallekele | 2022 |
| Afghanistan | 294/8 | Pallekele | 2022 |
Top Individual ODI Batting Performances vs Sri Lanka
- Ibrahim Zadran: 162 off 138 balls-Pallekele, 2022, the highest individual score by any Afghanistan batter against Sri Lanka in ODIs
- Ibrahim Zadran: 106 off 120 balls-Pallekele, 2022, back-to-back centuries in the same bilateral series
- Azmatullah Omarzai: 73* off 63 balls-ODI World Cup, Pune, 2023
- Hashmatullah Shahidi: 58* off 74 balls-ODI World Cup, Pune, 2023
Top Individual ODI Bowling Performances vs Sri Lanka
- Fazalhaq Farooqi: 4/49 in 9 overs-Pallekele, 2022 bilateral win
- Rashid Khan: 4/37 in 10 overs-Pallekele, 2022 bilateral win, both fired in the same match-the first time Afghanistan’s pace and spin combination won an ODI against Sri Lanka
Ibrahim Zadran’s two consecutive centuries in the 2022 bilateral at Pallekele remain the highest individual batting performances in the ODI chapter of the afghanistan national cricket team vs sri lanka national cricket team rivalry.
T20I Head-to-Head: Format Records
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The Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka T20I head-to-head stands at Sri Lanka 14, Afghanistan 6, with 1 no result from 21 matches. The 2024 Dambulla series is the most competitive T20I exchange in this rivalry’s history-both teams crossing 200 for the first time in any T20I meeting between them.
Highest T20I Team Totals
| Team | Total | Venue | Year |
| Afghanistan | 209/5 | Dambulla | 2024 |
| Sri Lanka | 206/6 | Dambulla | 2024 |
Highest Partnerships in AFG vs SL T20Is
| Runs | Partnership | Wicket |
| 55 | Noor Ahmad & Mohammad Nabi | 8th wicket |
| 46 | Rahmanullah Gurbaz & Hazratullah Zazai | 1st wicket |
| 43 | Ibrahim Zadran & Gulbadin Naib | 2nd wicket |
The 55-run 8th-wicket stand between Noor Ahmad and Mohammad Nabi is the highest 8th-wicket partnership Afghanistan have recorded against Sri Lanka in T20I cricket.
Biggest Wins in This Rivalry (All Formats)
| Team | Margin | Format | Venue | Year |
| Sri Lanka | 155 runs | ODI | Kandy | 2024 |
| Sri Lanka | 129 runs | ODI | Mirpur | 2014 |
| Sri Lanka | 10 wickets | Test | Colombo | 2024 |
| Afghanistan | 91 runs | ODI | Abu Dhabi | 2018 |
| Afghanistan | 7 wickets | ODI | Pune | 2023 |
Key Players Who Define the Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka Rivalry
Every major result in the afghanistan national cricket team vs sri lanka national cricket team timeline has been shaped by a small group of match-winners. Understanding their individual records in this fixture explains why specific matches turned the way they did.
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
The all-time leading wicket-taker in men’s T20Is, Rashid passed 164 wickets in September 2025. His rivalry-specific economy rate against Sri Lanka in T20Is sits below 7.00 per over. His 3/19 in the March 2026 Sharjah T20I-the only completed match before the bilateral was abandoned-was his most recent performance in this fixture. No bowler on either side has had a more consistent match-defining impact in this rivalry.
Photo by Deepak Malik / CREIMAS for Asian Cricket Council
Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan-T20I captain from March 2026)
Two ODI centuries at Pallekele in the 2022 bilateral (162 and 106) remain the highest individual innings in Afghanistan’s ODI history against Sri Lanka. No other Afghanistan batter has scored more than one century against Sri Lanka in any format.
Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan)
Player of the Match in Afghanistan’s most famous win-his 73* off 63 balls in Pune 2023 anchored the chase and remains the defining individual batting performance in the entire AFG vs SL cricket history.
Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)
3/22 in the first Dambulla T20I in 2024 set the tone for Sri Lanka’s series win. He also scored 67 at Sharjah in 2022-one of the highest individual scores in this rivalry’s T20I chapter. When Hasaranga performs in both departments in the same match, Sri Lanka have not lost to Afghanistan.
Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka)
His 74* in the 2025 Asia Cup T20I in Abu Dhabi-chasing 170-was the defining performance of the most recent meeting between the sides. Mendis’s anchor-role innings left Afghanistan without a realistic wicket-taking window in the critical overs.
Matheesha Pathirana (Sri Lanka)
8 wickets in 3 T20Is in the 2024 Dambulla series, including 4/24 in one match. His sling-arm pace has repeatedly exposed Afghanistan’s top order, which-trained primarily against spin-has been less consistent against high-pace slinging action.
All ODI Results-Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka
| Date | Venue | Winner | Margin |
| Mar 3, 2014 | Mirpur | Sri Lanka | 129 runs |
| Feb 22, 2015 | Dunedin | Sri Lanka | 4 wickets |
| Sep 17, 2018 | Abu Dhabi | Afghanistan | 91 runs |
| Jun 4, 2019 | Cardiff | Sri Lanka | 34 runs (D/L) |
| Nov 25, 2022 | Pallekele | Afghanistan | 60 runs |
| Nov 27, 2022 | Pallekele | No result | Rain |
| Nov 30, 2022 | Pallekele | Sri Lanka | 1 wicket |
| Jun 4, 2023 | Hambantota | Sri Lanka | 132 runs |
| Jun 7, 2023 | Hambantota | Sri Lanka | 9 wickets |
| Sep 5, 2023 | Lahore | Sri Lanka | 2 runs |
| Oct 30, 2023 | Pune | Afghanistan | 7 wickets |
| Feb 9, 2024 | Pallekele | Sri Lanka | 42 runs |
| Feb 11, 2024 | Kandy | Sri Lanka | 155 runs |
| Feb 14, 2024 | Pallekele | Sri Lanka | 7 wickets |
Last 10 T20I Results-Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka
| Date | Venue | Winner | Margin |
| Aug 27, 2022 | Dubai | Sri Lanka | — |
| Sep 4, 2022 | Sharjah | Afghanistan | — |
| Sep 5, 2023 | Lahore | Sri Lanka | 2 runs |
| Feb 17, 2024 | Dambulla | Sri Lanka | 4 runs |
| Feb 19, 2024 | Dambulla | Sri Lanka | 72 runs |
| Feb 21, 2024 | Dambulla | Afghanistan | 3 runs |
| Sep 18, 2025 | Abu Dhabi | Sri Lanka | 6 wickets |
| Mar 17, 2026 | Sharjah | Afghanistan | 4 runs |
The 2026 UAE Series Cancellation
In February 2026, the Afghanistan Cricket Board and Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed a six-match bilateral series-3 T20Is in Sharjah and 3 ODIs in Dubai. One T20I was completed (Afghanistan won by 4 runs on March 17, 2026) before the series was called off due to regional conflict. As reported by Al Jazeera, Sri Lanka cited flight disruptions and safety concerns. No revised schedule has been announced as of May 2026. For a team like Afghanistan that relies heavily on neutral-venue bilateral cricket to build match rhythm, abandoned series represent a measurable preparation cost that cannot be recovered on the calendar.
FAQs:
Q1. Who leads the Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka overall head-to-head?
A1. Sri Lanka lead 25–10 across 37 matches in all formats-Tests, ODIs, and T20Is-as of May 2026.
Q2. What is Afghanistan’s biggest win against Sri Lanka?
A2. Afghanistan’s largest winning margin is 91 runs-Asia Cup ODI, Abu Dhabi, September 2018. Their most significant win by context is the 7-wicket ODI World Cup result in Pune, October 30, 2023.
Q3. What was the exact scorecard from Afghanistan’s 2023 World Cup win?
A3. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 241 in 49.3 overs. Afghanistan reached 242/3 in 45.2 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai was Player of the Match with an unbeaten 73 off 63 balls. Hashmatullah Shahidi contributed 58* off 74 balls.
Q4. Has Afghanistan ever beaten Sri Lanka on Sri Lankan soil?
A4. No. Afghanistan have played 10 matches in Sri Lanka across all formats and lost all 10-Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.
Q5. Who is the leading wicket-taker in the AFG vs SL rivalry?
A5. Rashid Khan leads all wicket-takers across formats in this fixture. He is also the all-time leading wicket-taker in men’s T20Is, having passed 164 wickets in September 2025.
Q6. Who is the top run-scorer in AFG vs SL ODIs?
A6. Ibrahim Zadran leads with two centuries-162 off 138 balls and 106 off 120 balls-both at Pallekele in the 2022 bilateral series. No other Afghanistan batter has scored more than one century against Sri Lanka.
Q7. What is the highest T20I total in AFG vs SL history?
A7. Afghanistan posted 209/5 at Dambulla in February 2024-the highest T20I total by either team in this rivalry. Sri Lanka replied with 206/6 in the same series.
Q8. What was the last match result between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka?
A8. Afghanistan won by 4 runs in Sharjah on March 17, 2026-the only completed match from a six-game bilateral series that was subsequently abandoned.
Q9. What is Afghanistan’s win rate against Sri Lanka on neutral pitches?
A9. 40%-10 wins from 25 neutral-venue matches since 2018. This contrasts with their 0% record in 10 matches played on Sri Lankan home soil.
Q10. Is a new Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka series scheduled?
A10. The 2026 UAE bilateral-3 T20Is in Sharjah and 3 ODIs in Dubai-was abandoned after one match due to regional conflict. No revised dates have been confirmed as of May 2026. The ICC calendar holds no confirmed bilateral between the two sides in the immediate term.
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