SL v Afg, Super 4 Match 1, Asia Cup: Sri Lanka avenge loss, start Super 4 with a bang

Sri Lanka began the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup with an impressive four wicket win over Afghanistan at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday night.

Asked to bat, Afghanistan posted 175 for six in their 20 overs and in response Afghanistan finished on 179 for six in their 20 overs.

Earlier, Afghanistan started off cautiously but lost Hazratullah Zazai cheaply. Then Rahmanullah Gurbaz took charge of the innings. Gurbaz survived a catch at the boundary line when the fielder Danushka Gunathilaka was spotted as having touched the boundary rope. Gurbaz added 93 runs for the second wicket with Ibrahim Zadran (40). Gurbaz was finally dismissed for 84 off 45 balls with four boundaries and six sixes. Towards the end Afghanistan lost a few wickets yet finished on a high at 175 for six in their 20 overs. For Sri Lanka the best bowler was Dilshan Madushanka (2-37).

In their response Sri Lanka started off briskly posting 62 in 6.3 overs through openers Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka. That gave an ideal platform for Sri Lanka to chase the score. Then there was a brief collapse as Sri Lanka was reduced to 94 for three. Then there were regular stands towards the end Sri Lanka raced towards the target. Sri Lanka had to thank Gunathilaka (33) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (31) as they added crucial runs. The chase then progressed quite easily as Sri Lanka finiahed on 179 for six in 19.1 overs. For Afghanistan the successful bowlers were Mujeeb ur Rahman (2-30) and Naveen-ul-Haq (2-40). 

Match Summary
Afghanistan: 175-6 (20)
Fall of wickets: 1-46 (Hazratullah Zazai-4.5 ov), 2-139 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz-15.3 ov), 3-151 (Ibrahim Zadran-17.2 ov), 4-166 (Mohammad Nabi, 18.4 ov), 5-166 (Najibullah Zadran-18.5 ov), 6-175 (Rashid Khan-19.6 ov)

Sri Lanka: 179-6 (19.1)
Fall of wickets: 1-62 (Kusal Mendis-6.3 ov), 2-80 (Pathum Nissanka-8.6 ov), 3-94 (Charith Asalanka-11.3 ov), 4-119 (Dasun Shanaka-14.1 ov), 5-151 (Danushka Gunathilaka-16.4 ov), 6-174 (Bhanuka Rajapaksa-18.3 ov)

Scorecard

Result: Sri Lanka won by four wickets 

Playing XIs
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (captain), Najibullah, Zadran, Karim Janat, Samiullah Shenwari, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Sri Lanka: Kusal Mendis (wicket-keeper) Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (captain), Danushka Gunathilaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Asitha Fernando

Match Details
Toss: Sri Lanka, elected to bowl
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Start time: 14:00 hrs GMT
Match officials: Ahsan Raza, Gazi Sohel (On-field Umpires); Anil Chaudhary (TV Umpire); Asif Yaqoob (Reserve Umpire); Jeff Crowe (Match-referee)

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