Full strength Sri Lanka too good for Afghanistan

Kusal Mendis plays a shot during the second one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota yesterday – AFP

• Wins second ODI by record margin of 132 runs

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka made four changes bringing back their experienced players for the second ODI against Afghanistan and showed what they are capable of when they are at full strength by winning the contest by a staggering margin of 132 runs to record their biggest win (in terms of runs) over their opponents at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

The win drew Sri Lanka level with Afghanistan at one-all in the three-match series with all to play for in the third and final ODI at the same venue on Wednesday.

On a day where everything went right for the home side from winning the toss and batting first on the same surface as that used for the first ODI which they lost by six wickets on Friday, Sri Lanka rattled off their highest total against Afghanistan by posting an imposing 323-6.

Afghanistan in reply could not make much headway against an experienced and varied bowling attack that had the likes of Dushmantha Chameera, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana and folded up tamely for 191 in the 43rd over. Sri Lanka’s performance was a complete contrast to the first match where they came up with a lacklustre performance. Yesterday they were on their toes from the very first ball and never allowed Afghanistan to get back into the game.

After Pathum Nissanka (43 off 56 balls, 6 fours) and Dimuth Karunaratne (52 off 62 balls, 7 fours) had set the platform with an opening stand of 82, the Lankan innings only gained in momentum as it progressed.

Sadeera Samarawickrama back in the side after four years and Kusal Mendis figured in another fruitful partnership of 88 for the third wicket. Samarawickrama who replaced Angelo Mathews for this game attacked from the very beginning hitting five fours in his innings of 44 off 46 balls. Mendis at the other end was in a class of his own driving and pulling his way to an elegant 78 off 75 balls (7 fours, 1 six).

The final impetus to the innings was provided by the captain Dasun Shanaka who played a cameo knock of 23 off 13 balls (2 fours, 1 six), Dhananjaya de Silva (29* off 24 balls, 1 four, 1 six) and Hasaranga (29* off 12 balls, 4 fours, 1 six). Their assault on the Afghanistan bowlers saw Sri Lanka rattle off 103 off the final ten overs, something which they have been unable to achieve in ODI cricket for quite some time.

Although Afghanistan’s spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi bowled tight spells, their third spinner Noor Ahmed found out for himself as did Sri Lanka’s youngest player Matheesha Pathirana the other day that there is a vast difference between T20 cricket and ODI cricket. Noor was taken to the cleaners for 70 runs in his nine overs by the rampaging Sri Lankan lower order.    

The difference in Sri Lanka’s batting was their running between the wickets – picking up the singles and converting the ones into twos. There was a sense of urgency in their batting which was lacking in the first ODI.

Facing a challenging total on a slow pitch, Afghanistan’s approach was somewhat strange as they opted to preserve their wickets rather than go on the offensive from the very outset. Of course, they were facing a much-balanced Sri Lankan bowling attack. With their senior bowlers back in the side, it made a vast difference to the bowling that saw Afghanistan make their lowest ever total in the first power play 33/1.

Sri Lanka dried Afghanistan the boundaries and the asking rate kept rising gradually to improbable proportions. Ibrahim Zadran their batsman in form with a run a ball 98 in the first ODI, took 75 balls over his innings of 54 (2 fours, 2 sixes), and although Rahmat Shah (36 off 42 balls) and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (57 off 62 balls) tried their best to accelerate, it seemed that Afghanistan had left it a little bit too late to go on the offensive. Trying to force the pace eventually led to their downfall as they lost wickets in a canter sliding from 146-2 to 191 all out in the space of 12 overs.

The key component in Sri Lanka’s win was the sensational off-spin bowling of part-timer Dhananjaya de Silva who took three top order wickets in three overs to shut the door on Afghanistan making a match of it. He captured the wickets of Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Najibullah Zadran to end with figures of 3/39 and with it take the Player of the Match award.

Two other bowlers returning to competitive cricket from injuries Chameera took two wickets for 18 runs and Hasaranga without a wicket in his last five ODIs grabbed two in one over and added another for figures of 3/42. 

Man of the match Dhananjaya de Silva (L) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Afghanistan’s Hashmatullah Shahidi (not pictured) during the second one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota yesterday – AFP 

Afghanistan’s Hashmatullah Shahidi (L) and Ibrahim Zadran run between the wickets during the second one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota yesterday – AFP