18/09Result
11th Match, Group B (N), Men's T20 Asia Cup at Abu Dhabi, Sep 18 2025
Sri Lanka won by 6 wkts (8b rem)
Player of the Match
Kusal Mendis
Kusal MendisSri Lanka
18/09Result
11th Match, Group B (N), Men's T20 Asia Cup at Abu Dhabi, Sep 18 2025
Sri Lanka won by 6 wkts (8b rem)
Player of the Match
Kusal Mendis
Kusal MendisSri Lanka

END OF OVER:
20 | 32 Runs 1 Wkt | AFG: 169/8 | RR: 8.45

  • Noor Ahmad6 (4b)
  • Dunith Wellalage4-0-49-1
  • Dushmantha Chameera4-0-50-1

8:16pm Wow. What a final over. And what a player Mohammad Nabi is. The longest-active player in this Afghanistan side, and he used that experience to the tee. He bided his time as wickets fell around him. He even played second-fiddle as Rashid tried to go for broke. But when Nabi's moment came, he pounced, and he pounced like only he can. Five sixes off the 20th over catapulted Afghanistan from a score they would have had to fight with, to a score they will now be confident of chasing.

Prior to that, it was Sri Lanka calling the shots. Their bowlers had tied Afghanistan in knots, with Thushara being the standout. But the turning point was Wellalage dropping Nabi off Chameera's bowling, and Nabi made Sri Lanka pay heavily, smashing both the aforementioned Sri Lankans to all parts, ransacking 32 off the 20th and 49 off the last two. Sri Lanka, because of what they have earlier done in this tournament, are not under pressure to chase it entirely, but Afghanistan, under pressure to win, will feel they are in with as good a shout as they have been tonight. Join us in a bit for the chase!

Khalid: "so how many runs should Srilanka score to qualify for super four? " -- Sampath tells me Sri Lanka need to score 101 to qualify...

Rahul Sargam: ""Md Nabi, a 40-year-young lad, smoked 5 sixes in a row but narrowly missed the chance to join the Yuvraj and Pollard academy. Almost, almost! Who says he's old? Hats off to his dedication and fitness. The way the Sri Lankan team was heading towards the pavilion says it all, while Nabi and company will carry a lot of confidence onto the field. This is surely going to be an enthralling contest--I want Afghanistan to pull this off!"

19.6
W
Wellalage to Mohammad Nabi, 1 run, OUT, Nabi does not make it six sixes in the over, and gets run out for his troubles too. But the damage may already have been done, and Afghanistan, out of nowhere, have gotten up to 169! Darted in very full outside off. Nabi does well to reach it and slices it towards deep point. He decides to chance his luck on the second but is caught well short, with Mendis collecting the throw away from the stumps and then throwing it onto the stumps himself. What a finish to the innings, and Afghanistan will be upbeat now!

Mohammad Nabi run out 60 (44m 22b 3x4 6x6) SR: 272.72

Nabi on the brink of history. Sri Lanka feeling like they are imploding. Bangladesh feeling their campaign is caving in. All happening here...

19.5
6
Wellalage to Mohammad Nabi, SIX, five sixes in a row - we may be witnessing history here, folks! Back of a length delivery wide outside off. Nabi sits deep in his crease and whacks the living daylights out of this one. Clean over long on!
19.4
6
Wellalage to Mohammad Nabi, SIX, smashed onto the grassy bank, and Nabi is tearing Wellalage apart! A 20-ball fifty for Nabi! Slot ball and even though this is well wide of off stump, Nabi reaches out and dumps it over long off!
19.4
1nb
Wellalage to Mohammad Nabi, 1 no ball, and he responds by spearing it a mile outside off. Mendis does well to get something on it, and the umpire stretches out his arms. But oh dear - this is going from bad to worse for Wellalage because he has overstepped...

Wellalage well and truly under the pump

19.3
6
Wellalage to Mohammad Nabi, SIX, six number three, and Afghanistan have gotten themselves to 150 with room to spare! Attempted yorker outside off but this lands in the slot too. Nabi clears his front leg and boshes it over long on!

Wellalage, who dropped Nabi earlier in the evening, will be feeling every run Nabi is now scoring. Over the wicket now

19.2
6
Wellalage to Mohammad Nabi, SIX, this goes even higher, and goes even further! Wellalage pulls the length back outside off but it does not matter an iota to Nabi. He winds up and wallops it a mile over long on!
19.1
6
Wellalage to Mohammad Nabi, SIX, bang! Nabi smokes it out of sight! Floated up into the slot outside off and Nabi takes full toll. He swings through the line and pumps it over long off!

Right. One over left. Wellalage to bowl. Afghanistan have a real shot at getting to 150 still, and that will be a tricky chase. Around the wicket

END OF OVER:
19 | 17 Runs | AFG: 137/7 | RR: 7.21

  • Noor Ahmad6 (4b)
  • Mohammad Nabi29 (15b)
  • Dushmantha Chameera4-0-50-1
  • Nuwan Thushara4-0-18-4
18.6
2
Chameera to Noor Ahmad, 2 runs, in the slot outside off. Noor gives it everything he has and blasts it towards long off. Hasaranga hurtles to his left and cuts it off, saving a couple of runs

Noor on strike. The brief should be to play in even numbers. Pretty much a free hit for Noor

18.5
1
Chameera to Mohammad Nabi, 1 run, low full toss just outside off. Nabi, sitting deep in his crease, powers it down the ground to long on

14 off the over already

18.4
2
Chameera to Mohammad Nabi, 2 runs, very full outside off. Nabi gets under it but does not get under it enough. Scuffs it towards long off and Hasaranga is just a little too lackadaisical. Noor charges back for the second and makes it, helped by Chameera failing to gather the throw. Sloppy by SL!
18.3
4
Chameera to Mohammad Nabi, FOUR, three fours in a row, and fortune favouring the brave now! Another very full delivery on middle and leg. Nabi has a wild hack at it and the ball flies off the bottom edge past short fine leg!
18.2
4
Chameera to Mohammad Nabi, FOUR, back to back boundaries for Nabi! Low full toss on middle and leg. Nabi gets his front foot out of the way and smears it between deep mid wicket and deep backward square leg!
18.1
4
Chameera to Mohammad Nabi, FOUR, brilliant batting! More or less the perfect wide yorker but Nabi's shot is just better. He peels the outer cover off the ball and somehow squeezes it past short third!

Chameera to bowl the 19th, meaning Wellalage will bowl the last

END OF OVER:
18 | 6 Runs 1 Wkt | AFG: 120/7 | RR: 6.66

  • Mohammad Nabi14 (10b)
  • Noor Ahmad4 (3b)
  • Nuwan Thushara4-0-18-4
  • Dushmantha Chameera3-0-33-1
17.6
1
Thushara to Mohammad Nabi, 1 run, pin-point yorker on leg stump. Nabi tucks it off his toes towards deep mid wicket and keeps strike for the start of the penultimate over
17.5
1
Thushara to Noor Ahmad, 1 run, banged into the track on middle and off. Noor opens up his stance and hacks it towards deep mid wicket
17.4
1
Thushara to Mohammad Nabi, 1 run, slower ball on a fullish length on middle and off. Nabi flicks it towards long on
17.3
1
Thushara to Noor Ahmad, 1 run, pace-on, sizzling yorker on middle and off. Noor jams his bat down, just in time, and clinks it out into the off side
17.2
2
Thushara to Noor Ahmad, 2 runs, welcomed with another dipping low full toss on middle stump. Noor bunts it enough to long on's right and scampers back for two

Noor is the new batter in

17.1
W
Thushara to Rashid Khan, OUT, a vociferous lbw shout, and as the umpire starts raising his finger, Rashid has his hand up signalling for the DRS. But guess what, while all that is happening, the ball rolls onto the stumps! Superb slower yorker on middle stump and this drops on the batter late. Rashid has a swipe at it but swipes at it way too early. May have gotten a scratch off the toe-end, but it does not matter with the ball ultimately pin-balling into the stumps and knocking off the bails. A bit more drama at Abu Dhabi, but that is a big wicket at this stage of the game!

Rashid Khan b Thushara 24 (21m 23b 2x4 1x6) SR: 104.34

END OF OVER:
17 | 9 Runs | AFG: 114/6 | RR: 6.70

  • Mohammad Nabi12 (8b)
  • Rashid Khan24 (22b)
  • Dushmantha Chameera3-0-33-1
  • Wanindu Hasaranga4-0-18-0
16.6
6
Chameera to Mohammad Nabi, SIX, Nabi goes massive! Slower ball on a length on middle stump. Nabi spots the slower delivery in time and winds up. Goes through the line fully and launches it over long on!
16.5
1
Chameera to Rashid Khan, 1 run, miscued but safe again! Slower ball on a length just outside off. Rashid continues swinging like a rusty gate and shanks this terribly. So badly that it does not even cross the ring in the mid off region. Rashid hanging on
16.4
0
Chameera to Rashid Khan, no run, excellent yorker outside off. Rashid tries to jam down on it but is late on doing so. The ball squirms past the toe-end of the bat

Match Coverage

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Sri Lanka 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st22BKG MendisP Nissanka
2nd25BKG MendisK Mishara
3rd45MDKJ PereraBKG Mendis
4th27BKG MendisKIC Asalanka
5th52BKG MendisPHKD Mendis