Afghanistan have finally broken their losing streak. They managed to avoid the whitewash and secure the win by three runs to get the victory. Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been the star for the Afghans by setting the pace with 70 runs off 43 deliveries to get the side to a target of 210 runs.
Sri Lanka started off strong with Pathum Nissanka continuing his good form with the bat. He scored 60 off 30 but struggled to get the support from the top-order. An interesting move made by Sri Lanka was to send their skipper Wanindu Hasaranga at number four but failed to get going. Kamindu Mendis took the game deep but a controversial no-ball was denied for the hosts as they were unable to chase down the target.
Sri Lanka (Playing XI) – Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (WK), Kusal Perera (In place of Dhananjaya de Silva), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis (In place of Charith Asalanka), Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga (C), Akila Dananjaya (In place of Maheesh Theekshana), Nuwan Thushara (In place of Binura Fernando), Matheesha Pathirana.
Afghanistan (Playing XI) – Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran (C), Mohammad Ishaq (In place of Gulbadin Naib), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf (In place of Najibullah Zadran), Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad (In place of Naveen-ul-Haq), Wafadar Momand (In place of Fazalhaq Farooqi).
Afghanistan win by 3 runs. Sri Lanka take the T20I series 2-1.
Afghanistan’s performance in this series has been below par, highlighting the significant impact of missing key players like Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Their batting lineup has struggled, with only one notable fifty from Ibrahim Zadran. In the bowling department, they showed promise in the first match but faltered in the second. Players like Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Noor Ahmad will need to step up their game. Azmatullah Omarzai has shown potential as an all-rounder and could be a key player for them. The Afghans will be eager to salvage some pride with a win in this final match. On the other hand, the Lankans will aim to maintain their unbeaten streak and secure a clean sweep. Toss and team news coming up shortly.
The opening match indeed provided a thrilling contest, with Sri Lanka clinching victory thanks to a stellar all-round display from their captain Wanindu Hasaranga and impressive bowling from Matheesha Pathirana. In the second encounter, their batters, in fine form, laid the foundation for victory, with Angelo Mathews shining brightly to seal the series. With the series already secured, the Lankans may opt to make a few changes to provide opportunities to other players. Their success so far has been a collective effort, with every member of the team contributing in some way. They’ll be aiming to maintain this momentum and secure a clean sweep against Afghanistan.
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