Cricket Highlights, 03 Sept: Asia Cup 2022, Super 4- Match 01 (AFG vs SL)

AFG vs SL (Super 4 – Match 01) – Highlights

Sri Lanka was bowled out for just 105 runs against Afghanistan in the group stage. They lost that game by a big margin of 8 wickets. Now it looks as if the Lankans have gotten their revenge for that loss. Dasun Shanaka’s team got off to a good start in the first match of the Super Four phase at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. They’ve defeated Afghanistan by 4 wickets with 5 balls in hand.

There was intense tension in the match. The control of the match was getting shifted like a pendulum. Sri Lanka won the game in the end with fearless batting. Afghanistan got their first taste of defeat in the tournament losing this match. After losing the toss and batting first, Afghanistan collected 175 runs by losing 6 wickets in the allotted 20 overs thanks to Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s extraordinary innings.

But the Sharjah Stadium saw a Sri Lankan team effort after the Rahmanullah Gurbaz Exhibition’ on Saturday (September 3). None of the Lankans made half-centuries in the run chase, but 4 batsmen scored more than 30 runs. Kusal Mendis scored 36, Pathum Nissanka 35, Danushka Gunathilaka 33 and Bhanuka Rajapaksa scored 31 runs.

Pathum Nissanka hit a boundary on the first ball of the innings off Fazalhaq Farooqi after coming down to chase. The opening pair got a collection of 62 runs in 6.2 overs. Kusal Mendis’ made 36 off 19 balls with 2 fours and 3 sixes. Naveen-ul-Haq broke the pair for Afghanistan. Pathum Nissanka returned with 35 off 28 balls.

Despite losing wickets, the Sri Lankan batsmen did not waver from their attacking mentality. Almost everyone tried to take on the Afghan bowlers. Before being bowled by Rashid Khan, Danushka Gunathilaka scored 33 runs off 20 balls. Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s 31 off 14 balls had immense importance on their way to chasing down the target set by their opposition.

Wanindu Hasaranga’s devastating batting made the score level in the 19th over. They needed just 1 run in the last over to win. Hasaranga scored a boundary on the first ball of the final over bowled by Fazalhaq Farooqui and gave the team a 4-wicket win with 5 balls in hand. He remained unbeaten with 16 off 9 balls.

Earlier, after losing the toss and batting, Afghanistan’s two openers Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored well forming a good opening pair of 46 runs. Zazai scored 13 runs from 16 balls, Dilshan Madushanka bowled him in the fifth over as the pair broke.

Gurbaz completed his fifty in just 22 balls. His partnership with Ibrahim Zardan for the second wicket was a solid one. The Afghan score touched three figures in the 13th over. Gurbaz was moving towards the century with great batting. It seemed that the first century of the season might be seen from his bat.

But it didn’t happen. Hasaranga caught him after scoring 84 runs off 45 balls while trying to play a blasting shot to Asitha Fernando. His innings was played with 4 boundaries and 6 sixes. The second wicket partnership of 93 runs off 64 balls was ended with this. Najibullah Zadran was run out for 17 off 10 balls.

Maheesh Theekshana struck twice in the 19th over. He sent back  Ibrahim Zardan in the fourth ball on 40 runs (38 balls). Afghan captain Mohammad Nabi (1) was caught and bowled in the next ball. Afghanistan’s 6th wicket fell on the last ball of the last over with a run-out by Rashid Khan (9).

Dilshan Madushanka took the highest number of 2 wickets for Sri Lanka, and Maheesh Theekshana and Asitha Fernando took 1 wicket each. However, despite losing the match, Rahmanullah Gurbaz was selected as the player of the match by playing an impeccable innings for his team.

AFG vs SL Scoreboard

Afghanistan – 175/6 (20.0)

Sri Lanka – 179/6 (19.1)

Result – Sri Lanka won by 4 wickets

Player of the match – Rahmanullah Gurbaz

AFG vs SL Playing XIs