Cardiff: Sri Lanka registered a convincing 34-run victory over minnows Afghanistan in their match of the ICC Men’s World Cup here, Tuesday.
Chasing a revised target of 187 in a rain-affected match, Afghanistan had a wonderful start with Hazratullah Zazai (30) finding some quick runs. Zazai along with Mohammad Shahzad (7) added 34 runs inside four overs before the latter got out.
Afghanistan kept on losing wickets at regular intervals to be reduced to 57/5 in 13.4 overs. However, skipper Gulbadin Naib (23) and Najibullah Zadran (43) tried to make amends adding 64 runs for the sixth wicket, but once the partnership was broken, the lower order couldn’t do much as they bowled out for 152. Nuwan Pradeep (4/31) and Lasith Malinga (3/39) were outstanding with the ball for the winning team.
Earlier, Mohammad Nabi (4/30) ran through a panic-stricken Sri Lanka top order as Afghanistan bowled their struggling opponents out for 201.
Sri Lanka came out of the blocks quickly under leaden skies, reaching 144/1 before the halfway point of their innings and were on course for a morale-boosting big score against the unfancied Afghans.
But Nabi, who had earlier removed captain Dimuth Karunaratne (30), turned the match on its head, with three wickets in five balls as Sri Lanka slumped to 146/4.
Shell-shocked Sri Lanka kept on losing wickets at regular intervals, with 35 extras the second-highest scorer. The turning point of the match was the dramatic 22nd over. Nabi dismissed Lahiru Thirimanne (25), Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews.
Fast bowler Hamid Hassan then had Dhananjaya de Silva to leave Sri Lanka in deep trouble. Thisara Perera was run out before Isuru Udana was bowled by Dawlat Zadran. Leg-spinner Rashid Khan then dismissed Kusal Perera (78, 81b, 8×4).
Rain then intervened, forcing the players from the field, with Sri Lanka 182/8. The rain delay meant the match was reduced to 41 overs a side but Sri Lanka folded quickly after the resumption for the addition of just 19 more runs.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 201 (Kusal Perera 78; Mohammad Nabi 4/30) bt Afghanistan 152 (Najibullah Zadran 43; Nuwan Pradeep 4/31) by 34 runs.
