SL Cricket suffers blow; bows out of Asian Games after loss to Afghanistan 

Sri Lanka cricketers suffered back to back defeats to Afghanistan on successive days when the Men’s team taking part at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China lost their quarter-final game in a cliff-hanger by eight runs Wednesday.

The loss meant that Sri Lanka Men’s cricketers bow out of the Asian Games, while Afghanistan qualify for the semi-finals and meet Pakistan.

On Tuesday the Sri Lanka national team lost their Cricket World Cup warm-up game to Afghanistan at Guwahati by six wickets.

Afghanistan’s win yesterday came on the back of an uncharacteristic but ultimately necessary fifty from Noor Ali Zadran and tight and economical three-wicket hauls from Gulbadin Naib and Qais Ahmad.

Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first, and tasted quick success as Nuwan Thushara knocked over Seqidullah Atal early on. A half-century stand between Mohammad Shahzad and Noor Ali Zadran set the platform for Afghanistan, before another 37-run partnership between Zadran and Shahidullah consolidated the innings. However, from 92-2, Afghanistan lost eight wickets in just 24 balls, for 24 runs, to collapse to 116 all-out in 18.3 overs. Nuwan Thushara led the demolition with a four-wicket haul.

In what should have been a facile run-chase, Sri Lanka had brief success to start with, scoring 19 runs in the first couple of overs, before wickets started to fall regularly. Not a single partnership crossed the 24-run mark, as Gulbadin Naib hurried the batters with seam movement, at both ends of the innings, with Qais Ahmad employing trickery and deceit to pick up wickets in the middle. In the end, Sri Lanka fell nine runs short of their target as Afghanistan coasted into the semi-final.

Scores: Afghanistan 116 (18.3) (Mohammad Shahzad 20, Noor Ali Zadran 51, Shahidullah 23, Nuwan Thushara 4/17, Sahan Arachchige 2/26)

Sri Lanka 108 (19.1) (Sahan Arachchige 22, Gulbadin Naib 3/28, Qais Ahmed 3/16)