Highlights
- Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first.
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-scored with a 45-ball 84.
- Rajapaksa came in and slammed Naveen-ul-Haq for 18 runs in the 16th over.
Sri Lanka put on a terrific performance to hand Afghanistan their first defeat of the tournament by four wickets.
Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first. Put in to bat, Afghanistan scored 175 for 6 with opener and wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-scoring with a 45-ball 84 while Ibrahim Zadran contributed 40. For Sri Lanka, Dilshan Madushanka took two wickets while Maheesh Theekshana and Asitha Fernando got one each.
Sri Lanka chased down the target of 176 with five balls to spare with useful contributions from Kushal Mendis (36), Pathum Nissanka (35), Danushka Gunathilaka (33) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (31). Up until the 15th over, the match was evenly poised. Afghanistan even got Sri Lanka's skipper Shanka out. But all hell broke lose after Shanaka's wicket as Rajapaksa came in and slammed Naveen-ul-Haq for 18 runs in the 16th over.
From there on, Sri Lanka did not look back and it all came down to them needing just a single run in the last over to seal the match. For Afghanistan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Naveen-ul-Haq took two wickets apiece.
Afghanistan Playing XI
Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi(c), Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Samiullah Shinwari, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Sri Lanka Playing XI
Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Charith Asalanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka
Brief Scores:
Afghanistan: 175 for 6 in 20 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 84, Ibrahim Zadran 40; Dilshan Madushanka 2/37)
Sri Lanka: 179 for 6 in 19.1 overs (Kusal Mendis 36, Pathum Nissanka 35, Danushka Gunathilaka 33; Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2/30, Naveen-ul-Haq 2/40)
(Inputs PTI)
