Sri Lanka see off Afghanistan to take ODI series 2-1

• Faultless performance ahead of World Cup Qualifiers

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka could not have asked for a better preparation for the ICC World Cup Qualifiers than in the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan whom they simply swept aside in the last two matches to win by a 2-1 margin at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota yesterday.

It was a thoroughly professional performance by Sri Lanka who came back from being one-down in the series to win the second and third ODIs rather comprehensively and with it seal the series. They won the third and final ODI yesterday by nine wickets–the first time since 2014 that Sri Lanka has come from being 1-0 down in an ODI series and won. The last occasion that happened was also at Hambantota when they beat Pakistan 2-1.

Both teams came into the third and decisive ODI with a lot of hope, but once again Sri Lanka showed that they are on the right track to produce the consistency of winning which has been lacking in them for the past five years or so, that has resulted in them plummeting down the rankings and having to qualify to play in the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India later this year.

On a new pitch Afghanistan won the toss and decided to bat first, but everything went awry for them from the second over when Lahiru Kumara (back from a niggling hamstring injury) got the initial breakthrough by having the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz caught in the deep for eight and followed it up with the prize wicket of inform batsman Ibrahim Zadran for 22. Dushmantha Chameera added the wickets of Rahmat Shah and skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi so that by the end of the first power play Afghanistan had lost their top four batsmen for 50 runs.

Chameera continued to torment the Afghanistan batsmen with his pinpoint accuracy deliveries by picking up a further two wickets to have Afghanistan on their knees at 77-6. What a comeback to international cricket it has been for him after a frustrating 10 month period with injuries. He capped his comeback by taking the Player of the Match as well as the Player of the Series awards.

The spinners got to work the second half of the Afghanistan innings. Wanindu Hasaranga showed that he was back amongst the wickets again by cleaning up the tail with figures of three for seven. Maheesh Theekshana took the other wicket as Afghanistan folded up tamely for 116 in 22.2 overs. It was a poor performance by Afghanistan despite their world class spin all-rounder Rashid Khan returning to the side after missing the first two ODIs through injury. Sri Lanka mounted their run chase in emphatic style with Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne posting their second successive 80-plus opening stand racing to 84 in the first power play without losing a single wicket. This is something that Sri Lanka had been lacking in their batting in the recent past that has seen them being unable to post competitive totals for their bowlers to defend. The return of Karunaratne at the top of the order seems to have more or less resolved Sri Lanka’s opening problems.

Nissanka raced to his fifty off 32 balls (8 fours, 2 sixes) his fastest in this format, while Karunaratne put on another solid exhibition of batting scoring an unbeaten 56 off 45 balls (7 fours) – his second consecutive half-century, to carry Sri Lanka over the line in the 16th over. Karunaratne’s form was crucial for Sri Lanka going into the World Cup qualifiers.

The winning run came off an overthrow boundary which more or less summed up the day for Afghanistan. It was their biggest defeat in terms of balls remaining (204 balls) and the tenth largest in ODI history. 

Yesterday the Lankan bowlers reciprocated their batting performance in the second ODI (when they ran up an imposing 323-6). Sri Lanka can be pleased that their batting and bowling departments have begun to perform to expectations and it could not have come at a better time than before they head for Zimbabwe.