MCA Stadium, Pune Pitch Report & Weather Forecast for AFG vs SL ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Match 30

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Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune will stage it's second match of the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 on Monday (October 30) when Asian rivals Afghanistan and Sri Lanka clash in match 30.

Afghanistan led by Hashmatullah Shahidi come into the match on the back of two wins and three losses in the show-piece tournament, while Kusal Mendis-led Sri Lanka also come into the game with a similar record in their five outings so far.

Afghanistan registered a stunning win over Pakistan in Chennai, where run-scoring has become easy since the second match, while Sri Lanka beat England on a flat wicket in Bengaluru, where the quicks had some joy with the newer and harder ball.

Now, the two sides are set to clash on a surface that is going to be a treat for the batters, but is expected to assist some disciplined bowling as well, especially the new ball bowlers and the spinners in the middle overs.

Weather has not interrupted Afghanistan's matches so far in the World Cup, but Sri Lanka's game against Australia in Lucknow saw a small interruption due to rain, which, however, did not affect the match.

The venue in Pune has produced some high-scoring games. And the heat in the afternoon could play a factor. So, how will the weather and pitch conditions be for AFG vs SL clash in Pune? Will rain or any other weather condition play spoilsport? Will dew be a factor in the match?

With some parts of India witnessing showers due to the retreating monsoon, here is a look at the Pune weather forecast and the MCA Stadium pitch report for AFG vs SL 30th ICC World Cup match:

Pune Weather Forecast on October 30

There is no threat of rain in Pune on Monday (October 30) or in the lead up to match. It is expected to be a sunny day with temperatures touching 33° C in the afternoon, but is expected to reduce to 26° C heading into the closing stages.

Unlike many other venues, dew is unlikely to have an impact in the games in Pune, meaning the team chasing is not going to have an extra advantage. But, how is the Pune wicket going to play?

MCA Stadium pitch report for AFG vs SL World Cup match

There are 11 pitches, all prepared using black soil, in the MCA Stadium in Pune. However, only 4 of the 11 wickets are going be used for the 5 World Cup 2023 matches. The black soil wickets offer more bounce and remain the same for most part of the match.

The pitch used in the first match of the World Cup saw India cruise to the target before Bangladesh struggled to post a challenging total despite a decent start from the openers. The Indian bowling applied a stranglehold in the middle overs and also controlled most part of the death overs.

5 of the 8 previous ODI matches at the venue have seen teams post over 300 runs when batting first. Even the teams chasing have posted over 300 in three of the seven innings so far, showing the batting friendly nature of the pitches in Pune. The average first innings score at the venue in 301.

The teams batting first and chasing have had even share of results of four wins each. However, the captains will be tempted to chase on the wicket which has seen 300+ targets being chased down twice in the three attempts so far.