In a thrilling encounter at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Sri Lanka secured a comprehensive victory over Afghanistan to seal the T20I series with one game to spare. Angelo Mathews and Skipper Wanindu Hasaranga starred with both bat and ball, guiding Sri Lanka to a commanding win and extending Afghanistan’s winless streak on their ongoing multi-format tour.
Sri Lanka posted a commanding total of 187/6, with Samarawickrama leading the way with a fifty, and Mathews and Hasaranga contributing valuable cameos. Mathews, displaying his versatility, also opened the bowling and triggered a top-order collapse for Afghanistan, who could not recover and were eventually bowled out for 115 in response.
Sri Lanka’s Blazing Start and Afghanistan’s Fightback
Sri Lanka, batting first, got a blistering start from their openers, who put on a rapid 45-run partnership in less than four overs. The duo unleashed a barrage of boundaries, accumulating a total of nine between them, propelling the hosts to a brisk start. However, Afghanistan’s Azmatullah struck a crucial blow by dismissing Pathum Nissanka LBW, breaking the opening partnership. Just three balls later, Kusal Mendis also fell, further hampering Sri Lanka’s momentum.
Sadeera Samarawickrama Steadies the ship, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Angelo Mathews Quick-fire cameos
Losing both their set openers and Dhananjaya da Silva in quick succession was a setback Sri Lanka needed to quickly recover from. Samarawickrama came to the rescue with a steady half-century, and the cameos around it gave Sri Lanka firm control of proceedings. First, Wanindu Hasaranga smacked a couple of sixes in his 9-ball stay for 22. Later, it was Mathews who hammered four maximums and two more boundaries, contributing an invaluable 42* off just 22 balls. His knock, which helped Sri Lanka plunder 49 runs in the last three overs, proved to be the turning point as the hosts finished with a daunting 187 on the board.
Afghanistan’s Top Order Collapse as Mathews and Fernando Dominate
Following his impressive batting performance, Mathews took the new ball and immediately made an impact by dismissing Hazratullah Zazai caught behind in the very first over. He then accounted for Afghanistan’s skipper, Ibrahim Zadran, in his next over, finishing his brief powerplay spell with impressive figures of 2-9.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz played at No.3 for the first time since 2021 but failed to make much impact. Binura Fernando further compounded Afghanistan’s woes by striking twice in the fifth over, reducing them to 31/5. Afghanistan were eventually left in a dire situation with no way back into the match.
Afghanistan Falter in Chase, Lose Wickets at Regular Intervals
The only notable aspect of Afghanistan’s chase was the 39-run partnership between Mohammad Nabi (27) and Karim Janat (28). Nabi, in particular, displayed aggression during his 17-ball 27, smashing a couple of sixes. However, the daunting target proved insurmountable for them. Once the resilient sixth-wicket stand was broken by Dasun Shanaka, Hasaranga, and Pathirana quickly wrapped up the tail, resulting in Afghanistan falling a staggering 72 runs short of the target.
Series Victory and Way Forward
The series victory will be a significant morale booster for Sri Lanka, who have struggled in recent times. Afghanistan, on the other hand, will be looking to regroup and bounce back in the final game of the series. They have shown glimpses of their potential but will need to put together a more consistent performance to challenge the Sri Lankan side.
The focus now shifts to the final game of the series, where Sri Lanka will be aiming for a clean sweep, while Afghanistan will be desperate to salvage some pride. Both teams will be monitoring preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup in June and may look to give opportunities to some bench players. Afghanistan, missing key players Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, would see a win without them as a significant boost for the side.
Also Read: https://goworldwide.co.in/sl-thumps-afg-as-hasaranga-and-pathirana-shine/