Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
50 | 4 Runs 3 Wkts | SL: 268/10 | RR: 5.36

  • Lahiru Kumara4 (5b)
  • Azmatullah Omarzai8-1-35-1
  • Fareed Ahmad8-0-43-2

2.07pm And that brings about an anti-climactic end to the Sri Lankan innings! In the end Afghanistan will need 269 to win, though Sri Lanka would have undoubtedly wanted more heading into the final over. Charith Asalanka, whose 95-ball 91 had anchored the Lankan effort, was run out off the first ball of the final over meaning they could get only five off it. On the whole though, Sri Lanka will be fairly pleased to have even got that much after the Afghan seamers had troubled them early on, and then the spinners had looked to throttle the middle overs. It took a 99-run fifth wicket stand between Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva (51) to rescue Sri Lanka from 84 for 4, with Asalanka stringing together stands with Dasun Shanaka and Dushan Hemantha to push the total along. For the visitors, each of the six bowlers used picked up at least a wicket, though Mujeeb Ur Rahman was the only one that was bowled out. The fact that Azmatullah Omarzai in particular, who picked up 1 for 35, only bowled eight overs might been seen as a misstep. Join Shashwat for the start of the chase in about 30 minutes or so.

49.6
W
Azmatullah Omarzai to Pathirana, OUT, full on off, driven straight to cover! They have to try this single, but it's an easy run out at the non-striker's end

M Pathirana run out 1 (4m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

49.5
1
Azmatullah Omarzai to Kumara, 1 run, looks for the premeditated paddle past fine leg off a yorker. Somehow gets it to short third.
49.4
2
Azmatullah Omarzai to Kumara, 2 runs, full on off, chipped over mid-off for a couple.

And it gets worse for Sri Lanka, as it turns out Asalanka had miscounted the deliveries in the penultimate over, hence that ill-advised single.

49.3
1
Azmatullah Omarzai to Pathirana, 1 run, full on the stumps, worked towards midwicket

Mayur: "Why did they take a single off that last ball? Sometimes the smartness in cricketers goes missing." Yup, amazing how one sub-optimal decision can have such a profound domino effect.

49.2
W
Azmatullah Omarzai to Rajitha, OUT, Corker first up! Yorker on leg stump, rifles into the stumps off Rajitha's pads.

CAK Rajitha b Azmatullah Omarzai 0 (1m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

49.1
W
Azmatullah Omarzai to Kumara, OUT, Disaster for Sri Lanka! Kumara misses the drive as this goes to the keeper. They look to run the bye to the keeper to get Asalanka on strike, but Gurbaz throws down the striker's stumps. Asalanka is not even in the frame.

KIC Asalanka run out 91 (156m 95b 12x4 0x6) SR: 95.78

Afghanistan penalised for their slow over rate. They now must have 5 inside the circle

END OF OVER:
49 | 8 Runs 1 Wkt | SL: 264/7 | RR: 5.38

  • Lahiru Kumara1 (2b)
  • Charith Asalanka91 (95b)
  • Fareed Ahmad8-0-43-2
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi9-0-58-2
48.6
1
Fareed Ahmad to Kumara, 1 run, full toss on off, driven into the covers for one, which means Kumara not Asalanka will be on strike at the start of the final over
48.5
0
Fareed Ahmad to Kumara, no run, full on off, defended back towards the bowler

Ravin: "That poor LBW decision cost SL two dot balls which might have an impact in the game. ICC needs to look into changing the laws which allows the runs scored off a ball which the umpire has given out and successfully referred "

48.4
W
Fareed Ahmad to Hemantha, OUT, And Hemantha's cameo comes to an end! Full toss on off, but he only manages to slice this drive straight to mid-off

MADI Hemantha c Noor Ahmad b Fareed Ahmad 22 (29m 20b 1x4 1x6) SR: 110.00

48.3
0
Fareed Ahmad to Hemantha, no run, good response! Wide yorker outside off, and Hemantha can't get any bat on this
48.2
6
Fareed Ahmad to Hemantha, SIX, Hemantha, my word! First six of the match and what a six it is! This was short and the debutant waits for it and launches it over deep midwicket. I'd estimate that's travelled around 90 metres.
48.1
1
Fareed Ahmad to Asalanka, 1 run, short ball on off, 129kph, sticks in the surface. Toe-ends this over the bowler for one

DPN: "What's going on with Omarzai and Fareed Ahmed? Why are they not bowling " Here's Fareed.

Kanishka: "AFG have to complete their 50overs by 1.30 P.M. isn't it??" yup, but there have been two injury stoppages. Even so, they are a few overs behind.

END OF OVER:
48 | 10 Runs | SL: 256/6 | RR: 5.33

  • Dushan Hemantha16 (17b)
  • Charith Asalanka90 (94b)
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi9-0-58-2
  • Noor Ahmad8-0-54-1
47.6
2
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Hemantha, 2 runs, full on off, goes across the line and chips this over midwicket for a couple more
47.5
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Asalanka, 1 run, waist high full toss, pulled towards square leg for one
47.4
2
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Asalanka, 2 runs, digs out the yorker down towards long-on, and that's great running as they scramble for the second to keep Asalanka on strike

Afghanistan in Sri Lanka 2023 News

Afghanistan 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st25Ibrahim ZadranRahmanullah Gurbaz
2nd146Rahmat ShahIbrahim Zadran
3rd40Hashmatullah ShahidiRahmat Shah
4th42Mohammad NabiHashmatullah Shahidi
5th16Mohammad NabiNajibullah Zadran