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Sri Lanka’s Captain Dasun Shanaka is clean bowled by Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan (not pictured) during the Asia Cup 2023 one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on 5 September 2023 – AFP
Sri Lanka team celebrates the victory after tense Asia Cup 2023 contest with Afghanistan at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on 5 September 2023 – AFP
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| Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis plays a shot during the Asia Cup 2023 one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on 5 September 2023 – AFP |
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| Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi plays a shot during the Asia Cup 2023 one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on 5 September 2023 – AFP
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An unconvincing Sri Lanka scraped through to Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 after suffering a scare from a spirited Afghanistan in the nail-biting contest in Lahore, Pakistan last night.
Batting first Sri Lanka scored 291-8 in their 50 overs. This set a pretty straightforward goal for Afghanistan to chase down 292 in 37.1 overs or less or miss out on a spot in the Super 4 stage of Asia Cup 2023.
At one stage, not only did it look like Afghanistan were cruising towards a win, but they also seemed headed to edge Sri Lanka for qualification to the next stage. Having reached 200 in just 26 overs with the loss of just four wickets, Afghanistan needed 92 runs in 11.1 overs to seal their Super 4 spot and it seemed possible with Nabi leading the charge.
But it all went downhill for them once Nabi was dismissed. Rashid Khan and Najibullah Zadran played fighting knocks to bring the game down to the wire, but with three needed off one ball to seal the qualification, Mujeeb holed out off Dhananjaya de Silva.
Though Afghanistan could still have qualified if they hit a six off the next three balls, the Sri Lankan off-spinner sent back Fazalhaq Farooqi three balls later to help Sri Lanka complete a victory by two runs.
In Afghanistan’s chase, Mohammad Nabi slammed a 24-ball half-century. It was the fastest half-century by an Afghanistan player in ODIs. The record was previously held by Mujeeb ur Rahman for his 26-ball fifty against Pakistan last month in Colombo.
Earlier on, Kusal Mendis' 92 and a late 64-run stand between Dunith Wellalage and Maheesh Theekshana helped Sri Lanka to post a competitive score.
The 28-year-old Kusal hit an attractive 84-ball 92 that included three sixes and six boundaries to anchor the Sri Lankan innings after they won the toss and batted at Gaddafi Stadium. He was declared Man of the Match.
Both teams need a win to qualify for the Super Four stage from Group B, from where Bangladesh have already progressed. Pakistan and India have already qualified for the Super Four stage from Group A.
Sri Lanka were off to a solid start of 63 for the first wicket between Pathum Nissanka (41) and Dimuth Karunaratne (32).
Mendis took over and added 102 for the fourth wicket with Charith Asalanka, who made a 43-ball 36.
But from 186-3, Sri Lanka had a middle-order stutter that saw them lose four wickets in the space of 41 runs, including that of Mendis who was run out.
Rashid Khan deflected a drive from Dasun Shanaka onto the stumps with Mendis short of his ground at the non-striker's end.
Dunith Wellalage, who scored an unbeaten 39-ball 33 with six and three boundaries, added an invaluable 64 runs for the eighth wicket with Maheesh Theekshana (28).
Fast bowler Gulbadin Naib dismissed Theekshana off the final delivery to finish with Afghanistan's best figures of the innings with 4-60.
When Afghanistan began their chase, Kasun Rajitha sent back the openers for single-digit scores inside the first five overs. The left-field move to push Gulbadin Naib to No.3 gave Afghanistan quick runs, but he didn't last long, falling leg before wicket to Theekshana for a 16-ball 22.
It was the Rahmat Shah-Hashmatullah Shahidi stand that revived Afghanistan's run chase in tremendous fashion.
The duo took the attack to the Sri Lankan bowlers, keeping up with the rate that was needed for them to qualify. The 71-run stand came in 63 balls and gave Afghanistan a decent base.
Nabi walked in at No.6 with the fall of Shah, dismissed by Rajitha in the 19th over. Nabi tore into the Lankan attack, racing to 18 off 13 balls before taking on Matheesha Pathirana for six and two fours in the 23rd over.
When Nabi fell for 65 in the 27th over, Sri Lanka sensed an opportunity to inch back into the game. The balance had tilted Afghanistan's way during the scintillating partnership between Nabi and Shahid, the duo adding 80 runs off a mere 47 balls.
Afghanistan, who lost to Bangladesh by 89 runs in their first game, need to reach the target in 37.1 overs to qualify for the next round on net run-rate.
Brief Scores:
