Batting first, Sri Lanka posted a aggressive 291 for 8 using on an imposing 92 from Kusal Mendison a great batting pitch. For Afghanistan the goal was not simply to win however to win the competition in 37.1 overs to safe a spot within the subsequent stage.They usually went all out of their chase to attain it, however missed it after coming agonisingly near their goal as they had been bowled out for 289 in 37.4 overs.
Because it occurred: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka
So, Sri Lanka topped Group B after the league stage and went by way of to Tremendous Fours with Bangladesh. They joined India and Pakistan, who’ve certified from Group A, within the subsequent stage. Afghanistan and Nepal have been eradicated from the match after the group stage.
Here is how Afghanistan tried onerous however failed to attain a frightening process of chasing down the large 292-run goal in 37.1 overs, paving means for Sri Lanka to progress:
Stable begin, earlier than triple blows
Sri Lanka acquired off to a stable begin after opting to bat first within the essential recreation. Openers Pathum Nissanka (41 off 40) and Dimuth Karunaratne (32 off 35) hit boundaries at common intervals within the innings and denied early breakthroughs to Afghanistan. The duo added a stable 63 runs for the opening wicket, earlier than Karunaratne fell within the eleventh over to medium pacer Gulbadin Naib (4 for 60). Afghanistan fought again using on the wonderful spell from Naib, who not solely supplied the primary breakthrough however adopted that up with two extra wickets in fast time. After Karunaratne, Naib dismissed the opposite opener Nissanka within the fifteenth over. The pacer left Sri Lanka in a spot of trouble when he dismissed Sadeera Samarawickrama within the seventeenth over. Sri Lanka misplaced three wickets for 23 runs in 6.3 overs, and had been decreased to 86/3 in 16.5 overs from 63/0 in 10.1 overs.
Mendis particular knock
Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis stopped the rot and laid a stable basis for a giant end. Mendis, who top-scored with an impressive 92 off 84, slowly resurrected the innings within the firm of Charith Asalanka, who contributed 36 off 43. The duo placed on a formidable 102-run stand for the fourth wicket to take Sri Lanka to a place of power, earlier than Asalanka fell to Rashid Khan within the thirty fourth over. Sri Lanka had been 188/4 in 33.2 overs at that stage, wanting good for a giant complete.
Afghanistan fought again earlier than Sri Lanka’s stable end
Rashis Khan led a Afghanistan fightback, taking two wickets and inflicting a run-out of the set Mendis within the fortieth over. Mendis missed a well-deserved century when he was run-out within the non-striker’s finish after the ball hit the stumps by way of the palms of the bowler Rashid. Through the interval of 34-40 overs, Afghanistan pulled themselves again within the contest by eradicating 4 wickets for 39 runs. Sri Lanka seemed to have misplaced the plot, however No.8 Dunith Wellalage (33 not out off 39) and No.9 Maheesh Theekshana (28 off 24) took the group to a aggressive complete. The eighth wicket stand of 64 runs between the 2 pushed the full to 291 for 8 in the long run.
Early blows to Afghanistan chase
Chasing 292-run goal, Sri Lankan pacer Kasun Rajitha didn’t permit Afghanistan to get a great begin to their run chase, eradicating each the openers early and cheaply. Rajitha dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz (4) within the third over, and got here again to ship Ibrahim Zadran (7) again to the pavilion within the fifth over. Quickly Afghanistan had been struggling at 50/3, when Gulbadin Naib was trapped leg earlier than wicket by Matheesha Pathirana within the ninth over.
Quickest fifty and resurrections
First, it was Rahmat Shah (45 off 40) and Hashmatullah Shahidi (59 off 66) who resurrected the Afghanistan run chase with a stable partnership for the fourth wicket. The duo hit common boundaries to not solely maintain the wickets however scored runs at a reasonably good pace. They added a precious 71 runs in 10.3 overs to place Afghanistan again on the course. Then entered all-rounder Mohammad Nabi as their No.6 batter, and adjusted the course of the sport together with his energy hitting. Nabi smoked 5 maximums and 6 fours throughout his whirlwind 32-ball 65 knock as he broke the document of quickest fifty by an Afghan batter. Nabi raced to his fifty in simply 24 balls, and added 80 runs for the fifth wicket together with his skipper Shahidi in simply 7.5 overs.
Tail wags however fails to take Afghanistan dwelling
Sri Lanka bounced again with three fast wickets to ship set batters again to the pavilion. From a snug 200/4, Afghanistan had been decreased to 237/7 in a span of lower than six overs, giving Sri Lanka a glimmer of hope. Each the set batters, Nabi and Shahidi, had been among the many batters to fall through the mini collapse. Afghanistan wanted 55 off 5.2 overs at that stage with three wickets in hand to qualify for the Tremendous Fours. Najibullah Zadran (23 off 15) and Rashid Khan (27* off 16) saved them alive within the race with some high quality batting, however they ultimately got here brief in the long run paving means for Sri Lanka to progress additional.
