Cricket Highlights, 27 Aug: Asia Cup 2022 – Match 01 (SL vs AFG)

SL vs AFG (Match 01) – Highlights

Afghanistan defeated Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in the opening match of the Asia Cup on Saturday (August 27). The Afghan Cricket Team lost only 2 wickets to reach the port of victory in just 10.1 overs.

After coming down to chase the target of 106 runs, Afghanistan scored 83 runs in the opening pair of Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Gurbaz played a devastating innings of 40 runs from 18 balls with 3 fours and 4 sixes, and their pair was broken as Wanindu Hasaranga bowled him. With the team staying just 3 runs away from victory, Ibrahim Zadran was trapped in a runout with 15 off 13 balls.

But Zazai left the field as a winner. The left-handed batsman remained unbeaten on 37 off 28 balls with 5 boundaries and a six. Najibullah Zadran was also unbeaten, scoring 2 runs. The Lankans were bundled out for 105 runs with 2 balls left in the innings.

Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi won the toss and invited Sri Lanka to bat at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Fazalhaq Farooqi, one of the best resources of the Afghan pace attack, struck in the first over. The left-hander trapped Kusal Mendis (2) and Charith Asalanka (0) lbw in the fifth and sixth balls of the over.

Even though the umpire didn’t lift a finger up on Kushal’s out, Afghanistan got their man with a review. Amid that shock, the Lankans lost another wicket in the next over. Pathum Nissanka (3) edged behind the wicket after trying to play at mid-on without realizing Naveen-ul-Haq’s leg cutter. Sri Lanka was cornered in the beginning losing 3 wickets for 5 runs.

Fazalhaq Farooqi bowled his second and the third over of the Lankan innings as a maiden. As a result, Sri Lanka could score only 5 runs in the first 3 overs. Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Danushka Gunathilaka got on top of Naveen-ul-Haq in the fourth over to overcome that pressure. Sri Lanka picked up 13 runs in that over with Rajapaksa’s six and Gunathilaka’s boundary.

Rajapaksa and Gunathilaka made a partnership of 44 runs from 31 balls. The Lankans scored 41 runs for 3 wickets in 6 overs of the power play. But when the team score reached fifty, Gunathilaka made a mistake. This batsman who made 17 off 17 balls was caught at the deep point while trying to play a reverse sweep to Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Hasaranga became the second victim of the Afghan offspinner in the tenth over of the innings. This all-rounder gave a catch to Nabi at mid-off after scoring only 2 runs off 8 balls. Lankans lost 5 wickets for 60 runs as a result of that.

In the next over, captain Dasun Shanaka (0) was caught by the wicket-keeper while trying to play the delivery off Nabi outside the stumps. Sri Lanka’s dream of a big score ended there. In the 13th innings by Nabi, two run out of two consecutive balls ended the last hope of the Lankans. After Bhanuka Rajapaksa returned with 38 runs off 29 balls, Maheesh Theekshana was also run out and returned to the dressing room.

After losing 9 wickets for 75 runs, Chamika Karunaratne of the lower order pulled the Lankans alone. Karunaratne put on a fighting 30-run partnership with Dilshan Madushanka on the last wicket. Where Madushanka’s score is only 1 run, on the other hand, Karunaratne was bowled by Farooqi in the last over of the innings after scoring 31 runs off 38 balls.

Farooqi was the most successful of the Afghan bowlers. The left-handed pacer scalped 3 wickets for just 11 runs. Two wickets were picked up by both Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

SL vs AFG Scoreboard

Sri Lanka – 105/10 (19.4)

Afghanistan – 106/2 (10.1)

Result – Afghanistan won by 8 wickets

Player of the match – Fazalhaq Farooqi

SL vs AFG Playing XIs