Sri Lanka avenge group stage loss against Afghanistan
A FIERY start by Kusal Mendis and a key lower-order knock by Bhanuka Rajapaksa powered Sri Lanka to a four-wicket win over Afghanistan in their Asia Cup Super Four game last Saturday (3).
Set 176 for victory, Sri Lanka leaned on an attacking 62-run opening stand between Pathum Nissanka (35) and Mendis (36) to achieve their target with five balls to spare at Sharjah.
Afghanistan’s bowlers got regular wickets to dent Sri Lanka’s middle order, but Rajapaksa’s 31 off 14 balls and a quickfire 16 not
out from Wanindu Hasaranga helped them achieve the highest chase at the desert venue.
Earlier, Rahmanullah Gurbaz smashed 84 to guide Afghanistan to 175-6, a total that could have been bigger had Sri Lankan bowlers not hurt the Afghans with late strikes.
But Gurbaz’s effort was in a losing cause despite putting on a second-wicket stand of 93 with Ibrahim Zadran, who made 40, after Afghanistan were asked to bat first.
Afghanistan, who had crushed Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to move into the Super Four stage, managed just 37 runs in the last five overs and lost five wickets.
Dilshan Madushanka, a leftarm quick, took two wickets while fellow fast bowler Asitha Fernando and spinner Maheesh Theekshana claimed one each.
In reply, Sri Lankan openers Nissanka and Mendis started strongly. Nissanka hit a few boundaries before Mendis took over, smashing leg-spinner Rashid Khan for two sixes. Fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq broke through to remove Mendis after the batsman’s 19-ball blitz.
Nissanka attempted to keep up the charge but fell to spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman with Gurbaz taking a sharp catch.
Danushka Gunathilaka made 33 to keep the chase on track despite the loss of Charith Asalanka and skipper Dasun Shanaka. He found company in Rajapaksa, who smashed Naveen for two fours and one six in an 18-run 16th over.
Rashid bowled Gunathilaka but new man Hasaranga hit three boundaries to take Sri Lanka near their target.
Rajapaksa was out in the 19th over before Chamika Karunaratne hit the winning runs.