Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, Match 6, Asia Cup: Sri Lanka win thriller by 2 runs

Afghanistan and Sri Lanka clashed with each other in the sixth game of the Asia Cup  2023 at the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan. 

Match Summary

Sri Lanka 291/8 (50 ov)

Afghanistan 289/10 (37.4 ov)

Result - Sri Lanka won by 2 runs

SCORECARD

Match Report

Sri Lanka opted to bat first and finished with a total of 291 for eight in 50 overs. Afghanistan had a heartbreak as they finished on 289 and lost the game by a margin of just two runs. 

Sri Lanka was off the flying start as Dimuth Karunaratne (32:35b, 6x4) and Pathum Nissanka (41:40b, 6x4) stitched 63 runs for the opening wicket and put the opposition under immense pressure. But Gulbadin Naib brought Afghanistan back into the game with three quick wickets. Kusal Mendis along with Charith Asalanka (36:43b, 2x4, 1x6) then made sure that Sri Lanka didn’t let go of the start they got and smashed 102 runs  for the fourth wicket. Mendis (92:84b, 6x4, 3x6) looked set for a ton but unfortunately got run out and his wicket paved the way for a mini-collapse. But in the end, Dunith Wellage (33:39b, 3x4, 1x6) and Maheesh Theekshana (28:24b, 2x4, 1x6) added 64 runs to take their team to a total of 291 for eight. For Afghanistan, Gulbadin Naib was the pick of the bowlers with his figures of four for 60. 

Afghanistan needed to chase down the target in 37.1 overs to qualify for the Super Four stage. They didn’t start well as they lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran and Gulbadin Naib (22:16b 4x6) for just 50 runs. Rahmat Shah (45:40b, 5x4, 1x6) along with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (59:66b, 3x4; 1x6) brought their team back on the track with their 71-run partnership. But the real blitz came from the bat of Mohammad Nabi.

The all-rounder smashed the fastest ODI fifty for Afghanistan and ended with a knock of 65 runs off 32 balls including six boundaries and five sixes. His knock changed the complexion of the game and brought his side back in the game. Karim Janat (22:13b, 1x4, 2x6) along with Rashid Khan (27 not out: 16b, 4x4, 1x6) and Najibullah Zadran (23:15b, 1x4, 2x6) played some crisp shots but couldn’t take their team past the finish line. For Sri Lanka, Kasun Rajitha was the pick of the bowlers with his figures of four for 79. 

 

Match Stats

 Sri Lanka Fall of wickets: 1-63 (Dimuth Karunaratne - 10.2 ov), 2-80 (Pathum Nissanka - 14.4 ov), 3-86 (Sadeera Samarawickrama - 16.5 ov), 4-188 (Charith Asalanka - 33.2 ov), 5-221 (Dhananjaya de Silva - 38.1 ov), 6-226 (Kusal Mendis - 39.1 ov), 7-227 (Dasun Shanaka - 39.3 ov), 8-291 (Maheesh Theekshana - 49.6 ov)

Afghanistan Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz - 2.2 ov), 2-27 (Ibrahim Zadran - 4.6 ov), 3-50 (Gulbadin Naib - 8.1 ov), 4-121 (Rahmat Shah - 18.4 ov), 5-201 (Mohammad Nabi - 26.3 ov), 6-234 (Karim Janat - 31.1 ov), 7-237 (Hashmatullah Shahidi - 31.5 ov), 8-276 (Najibullah Zadran - 35.4 ov), 9-289 (Mujeeb Ur Rahman - 37.1 ov), 10-289 (Fazalhaq Farooqi - 37.4 ov)

Playing XIs

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis(WK), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka(C), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(C), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi

 

Match Details:

Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2023 10:30

Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Toss: Sri Lanka elected to bat

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