Sri Lanka defeated Afghanistan in a thrilling match

After a thrilling encounter in the crucial Group B match of the Asia Cup, Sri Lanka bowled out the entire Afghanistan team for 289 runs and defeated them by 2 runs to reach the Super Four stage.

Group B teams are competing in the sixth match of the Asia Cup being played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore where Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first.

The Sri Lankan openers contributed 63 runs in 10 overs and Dimath Karunaratne was dismissed for 32 runs.

Pathum Nissanka and wicketkeeper-batsman Kosal Mendis tried to form a good partnership but failed and Nissanka was also dismissed by Gulbadin Naib on 86. He had scored 41 runs off 40 balls with 6 fours.

Sudira Samaravikrama managed to score only 3 runs and Gulbadin became Naib’s third wicket, but Kosal Mendes took the team’s score forward following three wickets fell for 86 runs.

Kosalmendis and Asalinka had a long partnership of 102 runs but Asalinka was run out in the 34th over following playing an innings of 36 runs, Sri Lanka’s score at that time was 188 runs.

Dhananjaya de Silva played an innings of 14 runs and supported the captain from one end to take the team’s score to 221 runs, he was bowled by Mujeebur Rahman.

Sri Lanka’s score was 226 off the first ball of the 40th over as skipper Kosal Mendes’ responsible innings of 92 came to an end and the team suffered their sixth loss.

Captain Dasan Shanaka managed to score 5 runs and was bowled by Rashid Khan for a score of 227.

With Sri Lanka down by 7 wickets in the 40th over, it looked as if Afghanistan would have an easy target but Donath Velalaig and Mahesh Thekshana played a great partnership to negate that impression.

Both the batsmen batted responsibly and took the team to 291 in the allotted overs but Thekshana was dismissed on the last ball of the innings following scoring 28 runs off 24 balls with two fours and a six.

Donith Vallalig did not get out till the end and scored 33 runs off 39 balls with the help of 3 fours and a six.

For Afghanistan, Gulbuddin Naib took the most 4 wickets, Rashid Khan took 2 and Mujeebur Rehman dismissed one player.

Afghanistan started the target in a disappointing manner and the first wicket fell for 10 runs and Rehmanullah Garbaz was dismissed for 4 runs off Rajitha’s ball.

Ibrahim Zadran was dismissed for 7 runs in the fifth over, for which he faced 14 balls.

Gulbuddin Naib came in to bat at number three and definitely adopted an aggressive style but was targeted by Pathirana as soon as the team’s half-century was completed but he scored 22 runs in 16 balls with 4 fours.

Rehmat Shah and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi made a good partnership and took the score to 121 runs in the 19th over and on this occasion Rehmat Shah got out following playing an innings of 45 runs.

Muhammad Nabi along with captain Shahidi gave the team hope of victory and put together a partnership of 80 runs off 47 balls, during which both of them also completed half-centuries.

Afghanistan’s experienced all-rounder Mohammad Nabi played an innings of 65 runs off 32 balls, but at a score of 201, De Silva was caught by Thekshana.

Karim Jannat was bowled out by Villaleague for 234 while he scored 22 valuable runs off 13 balls with the help of one four and two sixes.

Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi was the seventh batsman of Afghanistan to get out who scored 59 runs off 66 balls with the help of 3 fours and a six.

Najeebullah Zadran and Rashid Khan brought Afghanistan closer to the target, but Najeebullah Zadran was dismissed for 23 runs at a score of 276.

Sri Lanka’s De Silva took Afghanistan’s two wickets for 289 in the 38th over, first with Mujeebur Rahman and then Fazal Haq Farooqui getting out for a wicket.

The entire Afghanistan team was bowled out for 289 runs and lost the match by just two runs.

Rashid Khan scored 27 runs not out, which included 4 fours and a six.

Sri Lanka’s Rajitha top-scored with 4 wickets, with this victory Sri Lanka qualified for the next round.