Sri Lanka created a folded Russian fleece, which eliminated Afghanistan from the Asia Cup and secured its own passage-up with Bangladesh-do Super Four Stage. Islanders chased 170 in their last conflict of group B and islanders got home with certainty, led by undefeated 74 out of 52 balls from Kusal Mendis.
After the semi -finals at the World Cup T20 and the impressive run at the ODI World Cup, Afghanistan began to establish itself as another Asian cricket powerhouse. This trip to the group stage-to-the-line loss in the final of Tri-Series against Pakistan-Však is thinking a lot about Captain Rashid Khan and coach Jonathan Trott.
170 was a complex goal on paper, but Sri Lanka looked routine. Mendis, opening the bats, held shifts along with a mixture of patience and taste that persecuted difficult passages before developing a series of sharp moves that broke Afghan adhesion. Kusal Perera injected the pulse to the middle crossed, while the Charith Asala and the Kaminda Mendis provided valuable portraits to ensure that the persecution had never plunged.
Afghanistan, semifinalists at last year’s World Cup T20, was left a frustrating evening. Their shifts were given a substance by a veteran by a versatile Mohammad, whose late counterattack lifted them to 169. Their pitchers, usually their strongest suit, dealt with when it mattered. Rashid Khan was tidy, but went without a goal, while Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad all escaped running under pressure. Nabi himself playfully spinned with the ball, but as soon as Sri Lanka discovered the pace, the Afghan attack lacked answers.
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Soon the breakthroughs – Pathum Nissanka cheaply took over and Kamil Misha was falling soon after – offered Afghanistan a flash. Nevertheless, more experience and calm Sri Lanka lit up. Mendis carried a bat, a cleverly rotating strike, while his partners played more expansive shots, so Afghanistan was thinking about missed chances, a ragged field and discipline, which proved to be expensive.
Earlier, Sri Lanka Pacer Nuwan Thushara (4/18) released a devastating introductory burst earlier Mohammed Nabi has created a breathtaking surface If you want to script a remarkable recovery of Afghanistan and take them on Thursday in your collision Asia Cup at 169 for eight.
In one stage, Afghanistan looked unlikely to reach 120, but Nabi (60 out of 22 balls) launched a stunning counterattack that set out five six outside the Dunith Wellalage in the finals. Veteran All-Rounder plundered 32 runs from six legitimate left shoulder vans and completely shifted the momentum in favor of his party.
It was an unusual challenge for Spinner to appear 20., but Captain Charith Asala as a pace. Afghanistan, who has his recent fighting in run-play, decided to bat first, but suffered premature strikes. Despite the aggressive start, which brought 26 runs in the first two breaks, Thushar’s sharp late swing with his peeled action soon tore their highest order. Karim Janat (1) and Sediquallah Atal (18 out of 14) were both returned who hit their stumps, while Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the first to leave after a wide slip released.
With Wanind Hasarang and Wellalage Tightening screws in the middle of breaks, the goals continued in the fall and Afghanistan reached out to 79 in six in 13th place.
Captain Rashid Khan (24 out of 23) added some resistance with a 35-run stand next to Nabi, emphasized by his trademark without appearance six above the cow’s corner. Their partnership raised Afghanistan over 140 before Nabi took the central phase. Already in the 17-penultimate Over, Drshmantha Chameer hammered three consecutive boundaries, with Chameera to withstand a hard trip by admitting 50 in his four breaks.
Fielding Sri Lanka efficiently backed up his superpowers, with gentle catches from Chameeery and Kusal Perera in deep rejection of Ibrahim Nadran (24) and Darwish Rasool.
– ends
Published:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
September 18, 2025
