Batting first, Sri Lanka posted a aggressive 291 for eight using on an impressive 92 from Kusal Mendison a very good 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.And so they 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.Four overs.
Because it occurred: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka
So, Sri Lanka topped Group B after the league stage and went by 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 event after the group stage.
Here is how Afghanistan tried laborious however failed to attain a frightening activity of chasing down the huge 292-run goal in 37.1 overs, paving approach for Sri Lanka to progress:
Stable begin, earlier than triple blows
Sri Lanka obtained off to a strong 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 strong 63 runs for the opening wicket, earlier than Karunaratne fell within the 11th over to medium pacer Gulbadin Naib (Four 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 15th over. The pacer left Sri Lanka in a spot of hassle when he dismissed Sadeera Samarawickrama within the 17th over. Sri Lanka misplaced three wickets for 23 runs in 6.Three overs, and had been lowered to 86/Three in 16.5 overs from 63/zero in 10.1 overs.
Mendis particular knock
Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis stopped the rot and laid a strong basis for an enormous 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 powerful 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 34th over. Sri Lanka had been 188/Four in 33.2 overs at that stage, trying good for an enormous complete.
Afghanistan fought again earlier than Sri Lanka’s strong end
Rashis Khan led a Afghanistan fightback, taking two wickets and inflicting a run-out of the set Mendis within the 40th 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 the arms 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 appeared to have misplaced the plot, however No.eight Dunith Wellalage (33 not out off 39) and No.9 Maheesh Theekshana (28 off 24) took the staff to a aggressive complete. The eighth wicket stand of 64 runs between the 2 pushed the full to 291 for eight in the long run.
Early blows to Afghanistan chase
Chasing 292-run goal, Sri Lankan pacer Kasun Rajitha didn’t enable Afghanistan to get a very good 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 strong partnership for the fourth wicket. The duo hit common boundaries to not solely hold the wickets however scored runs at a reasonably good velocity. They added a helpful 71 runs in 10.Three overs to place Afghanistan again on the course. Then entered all-rounder Mohammad Nabi as their No.6 batter, and altered the course of the sport along with his energy hitting. Nabi smoked 5 maximums and 6 fours throughout his whirlwind 32-ball 65 knock as he broke the file of quickest fifty by an Afghan batter. Nabi raced to his fifty in simply 24 balls, and added 80 runs for the fifth wicket along with his skipper Shahidi in simply 7.5 overs.
Tail wags however fails to take Afghanistan residence
Sri Lanka bounced again with three fast wickets to ship set batters again to the pavilion. From a cushty 200/4, Afghanistan had been lowered 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 throughout 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 approach for Sri Lanka to progress additional.
