Afghanistan managed to secure their first win of the tour, beating Sri Lanka by a 3-run margin in the third and final T20I played yesterday at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.
Afghanistan Skipper Ibrahim Zadran decided to bat first this time after winning the toss for the third consecutive time as both sides made four changes each for the series’ final game.
Afghanistan brought Sharafuddin Ashraf, Fareed Ahmad Malik and Wafadar Momand while handing the debut cap to Mohammad Ishaq. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, also decided to test their bench strength, bringing Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Akila Dananjaya and Nuwan Thushara for Dhananjaya De Silva, Charith Asalanka, Maheesh Theekshana and Binura Fernando.
Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz (w), Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran (c), Mohammad Ishaq, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Wafadar Momand
Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (w), Kusal Perera, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Dasun Shanaka, Akila Dananjaya, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana
Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah walked in as the openers and provided the visitors a fiery start, smashing 72 runs off the powerplay. Zazai went all guns blazing before Akila Dananjaya trapped him LBW as the Afghans lost their 1st wicket on 88 in 7.2 overs. The hard-hitting left-hander blasted a 22-ball 45, which included 6 fours & 2 sixes
Gurbaz continued to take on the Lankan bowlers and registered his 8th fifty in T20Is. After smashing 70 runs in just 43 balls, he fell to Hasaranga courtesy of a good-running catch by Samarawickrama at long-on. His knock consisted of 7 fours & a six.
With the start their openers gave, Azmatullah Omarzai (31 off 23) and Mohammad Ishaq (16* off 8) provided them a good finish as Afghanistan recorded their highest-ever T20I total against Sri Lanka, posting massive 209 runs after losing 5 wickets.
In the bowling department, Dananjaya and Pathirana each bagged a couple of wickets despite being expensive, while Hasaranga also took a wicket.
Chasing 210 to win, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis gave the team a desperate start as Sri Lanka raced to 64 before Mendis got dismissed for 16 in the final over of the powerplay.
Sharafuddin Ashraf, who took the catch of Mendis, walked off after landing on his head, and Afghanistan brought Qais Ahmed as the concussion sub for him. Kusal Perera did not trouble the scores as he was trapped in front by Noor Ahmad in the 7th over.
The plan of promoting skipper Hasaranga did not work this time as he departed for 13. However, Nissanka was brilliant with the bat yet again, claiming his 10th T20I half-century. He produced an absolute blistering knock of 60 off 30 balls while striking 8 fours & 2 sixes, but had to take off the field, struggling with his hamstring.
After 3 down for 93, Sadeera Samarawickrama and Kamindu Mendis tried to revive the chase, adding 53 runs for the 4th wicket. Qais Ahmad removed Samarawickrama (23 off 12) in a critical time before Nabi got rid of Mathews next over, leaving the hosts at 151/5.
Mendis and Shanaka were in the middle when Sri Lanka needed 59 in the final 4 overs. Shanaka struggled initially while the former tried to keep the hosts in the game as they stroked 23 runs in the next 2 overs, which took the equation to 36 off the final 2 overs.
Shanaka hit a six and a four in the penultimate over but unfortunately ran out next ball for an 8-ball 13. Akila Dananjaya, who came next, hit the first ball to the boundary as the islanders needed 19 off the last over.
Mendis, though, stroked 2 fours in the first 3 deliveries before the umpires misjudged a full toss next ball, which should be a no-ball. The umpires made no reaction, but replays showed that the delivery was clearly over waist height despite Mendis being out of his crease.
The penultimate delivery was a dot as Mendis hit the final ball out of the park, but Sri Lanka fell 4 runs short of the target. Accordingly, the Afghans managed to secure their first win of the tour by a narrowest margin of 3 runs.
Mendis, who accumulated an unbeaten 65 off just 39 balls, tried his best to take his side over the line but unfortunately fell short with a controversial decision by the on-field umpires.
Mohammad Nabi was the standout performer once again for the visitors as he bagged 2/35 in his 4 overs. Apart from him, Qais Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad and Noor Ahmad shared another 3 wickets between them.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz was named Player of the Match, while Sri Lanka Skipper Wanindu Hasaranga won the Player of the Series award for his superb all-round performance as Sri Lanka clinched the 3-match T20I series 2-1.
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hazratullah Zazai | lbw b Akila Dananjaya | 45 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 204.55 |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | c Sadeera Samarawickrama b Wanidu Hasaranga | 70 | 43 | 7 | 1 | 162.79 |
| Ibrahim Zadran | c Wanidu Hasaranga b Akila Dananjaya | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 111.11 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | c Kusal Perera b Matheesha Pathirana | 31 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 134.78 |
| Mohammad Nabi | not out | 16 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 114.29 |
| Karim Janat | b Matheesha Pathirana | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Mohammad Ishaq | not out | 16 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 200.00 |
| Extras | 21 (b 0 , lb 10 , nb 0, w 11, pen 0) |
| Total | 209/5 (20 Overs, RR: 10.45) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angelo Mathews | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 10.50 | |
| Nuwan Thushara | 4 | 0 | 48 | 0 | 12.00 | |
| Matheesha Pathirana | 4 | 0 | 42 | 2 | 10.50 | |
| Akila Dananjaya | 4 | 0 | 37 | 2 | 9.25 | |
| Wanidu Hasaranga | 4 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 8.75 | |
| Dasun Shanaka | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 8.00 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | not out | 60 | 30 | 8 | 2 | 200.00 |
| Kusal Mendis | c Sharafuddin Ashraf b Fareed Ahmad | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 123.08 |
| Kusal Perera | lbw b Noor Ahmad | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Wanidu Hasaranga | c Ibrahim Zadran b Mohammad Nabi | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 118.18 |
| Sadeera Samarawickrama | c Mohammad Ishaq b Qais Ahmed | 23 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 191.67 |
| Kamindu Mendis | not out | 65 | 39 | 7 | 2 | 166.67 |
| Angelo Mathews | c Qais Ahmed b Mohammad Nabi | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Dasun Shanaka | run out (Mohammad Ishaq) | 13 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 162.50 |
| Akila Dananjaya | not out | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 400.00 |
| Extras | 8 (b 0 , lb 1 , nb 1, w 6, pen 0) |
| Total | 206/6 (20 Overs, RR: 10.3) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wafiullah Tarakhil | 3 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 11.67 | |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 4 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 10.50 | |
| Fareed Ahmad | 2 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 15.00 | |
| Noor Ahmad | 4 | 0 | 37 | 1 | 9.25 | |
| Mohammad Nabi | 4 | 0 | 35 | 2 | 8.75 | |
| Qais Ahmed | 2 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 8.50 | |
| Karim Janat | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9.00 | |
