Sri Lanka skipper Kusal Mendis strides out to the middle and you can hear the Afghanistan chattering away in the field.

Fazalhaq Farooqi ends his over with an absolute beauty that whistles past Mendis' outside edge.

Niall O'Brien
Ex-Ireland wicketkeeper on Test Match Special

Image source, Getty Images

I don't have a hat but I am going to eat your hat instead Aatif! I stand corrected. What a review. I think Rashid Khan got in the ear of the captain and told him to take it upstairs. Huge wicket for Afghanistan.

Aatif Nawaz
BBC Test Match Special commentator

Wow! What a review from Afghanistan. Even the best get it wrong eh, Niall?

Aatif Nawaz
BBC Test Match Special commentator

Image source, Getty Images

There was a big appeal, but it looked like it was going down leg. The Afghanistan captain was implored to go for a review.

Niall O'Brien
Ex-Ireland wicketkeeper on Test Match Special

I didn't like it. It looks like it's going down leg side.

Dimuth Karunaratne does break the shackles as takes advantage of a fuller delivery from Fazalhaq Farooqi and drives away for four.

The next ball is better directed and angles in on Karunaratne's pads. Farooqi's huge appeal is turned down, but Afghanistan send it upstairs.

Sri Lanka are dealing exclusively in singles at the moment, with five coming off Mujeeb's latest over.

Dimuth Karunaratne in particular is looking pretty scratchy at the moment.

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An impressive range of sunglasses being sported by the Afghanistan players in the field.

Dimuth Karunaratne is struggling for timing at the moment as he plays and misses at a couple of deliveries from Fazalhaq Farooqi outside his off stump.

We have seen a shot of wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil sat on the Afghanistan bench with his right hand taped up. He looks a bit grumpy so not sure if he is coming back on any time soon.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz is very chirpy behind the stumps. The Sri Lanka batters will certainly know he is there as he chatters away between each delivery.

There is a brief flurry of excitement as a couple of drives from Dimuth Karunaratne go aerial, but they both land safely away from lurking fielders.

Image source, Getty Images

Ikram Alikhil still looks in pain walks off the field so the medical team can take a closer look at his injured finger, meaning Rahmanullah Gurbaz takes the gloves.

It is seam at the other end as left-armer Fazalhaq Farooqi comes steaming in over the wicket.

Dimuth Karunaratne pushes into the off side and runs a risky single, though the throw in is wayward and Pathum Nissanka is comfortably home.

There is a slight delay as wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil took a blow to the finger trying to reel in that throw and needs some treatment.

Lydia Greenway
Former England batter on BBC Test Match Special

I think England, and a few others, have been caught out with the Champions Trophy qualifying announcement. A lot of games which looked like dead rubbers now have some meaning.

A gentle opening as these Sri Lanka openers share a couple of singles each.

There is a sparsely populated crowd in Pune at the moment, though the stadium DJ is going his best to whip up those who have made it to the ground.

Afghanistan have a talented collection of spinners and one of them - Mujeeb Ur Rahman - is going to open the bowling to Pathum Nissanka.

Here we go.

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

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

Lydia Greenway
Former England batter on BBC Test Match Special

There's been a lot of chat about the format of this tournament about what's the best way to structure it in future. A lot of debate around whether it should it go back to groups of four and the top two go through, or stick with this round robin format. The argument for the round robin is the best teams play the best cricket and play each other once. It can, however, mean a pretty long tournament. For these two sides this a big game.

Aatif Nawaz
BBC Test Match Special commentator

It's an exciting fixture today between two evenly matched teams. There's a lot on the line as both can qualify for the semi-finals but there's more context with qualification at stake for the Champions Trophy. That news hasn't gone down well everywhere - especially with teams who haven't qualified for this World Cuo - but it's given an extra layer of importance to these games.

Lydia Greenway
Former England batter on BBC Test Match Special

If you look at where each side is at it's a must-win game for both. At times both have played some good cricket. Afghanistan have caused a few upsets. I think it'll be a decent game.