Sri Lanka on Tuesday defeated Afghanistan by two runs in the Asia Cup 2023 Group B clash on Tuesday at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and entered the Super 4 stage.
Earlier, Sri Lanka set Afghanistan a 292-run target in the Group B match in Lahore. Sri Lanka finished on 291-8 in 50 overs.
Kusal Mendis was the top run-scorer for Sri Lanka with 92 runs in 84 balls with the help of six fours and three sixes. He was unfortunate to miss out on a well-deserved hundred after he was run-out at the bowler’s end.
Sri Lanka got off to a solid start with Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne scoring 63 runs in 10.2 overs. However, both failed to kick on after getting a start and were dismissed for 41 and 32 runs, respectively.
Charith Asalanka scored 36 runs in 43 balls.
Dunith Wellalage (33 not out) and Maheesh Theekshana (28) added 64 runs in 63 balls for the eighth wicket to provide impetus at the backend of the innings.
Both teams have not made any changes to their playing XI for this crucial contest.
Sri Lanka have also almost qualified for the next round as they beat Bangladesh in their Asia Cup opener by five wickets and got off a great start.
But, the only way Sri Lanka can’t qualify for the next round is if Afghanistan beat them by a big margin. Afghanistan would need to chase down the target in 37.1 overs or less in order to qualify.
Bangladesh have already booked their spot in the Super 4 round of the Asia Cup 2023 after their 89-run win over Afghanistan in Group B. They lost their opening match against Sri Lanka by five wickets.
Group B Qualification Scenarios:
Bangladesh — Qualified (official announcement awaits)
Afghanistan — Big margin victory against Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka — A win or a low-margin defeat against Afghanistan
Lineups:
Afghanistan: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Najibullah Zadran, 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Karim Janat, 8 Gulbadin Naib, 9 Rashid Khan, 10 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi
Sri Lanka: 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 Kusal Mendis (wk), 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva, 7 Dasun Shanaka (capt), 8 Dunith Wellalage, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Kasun Rajitha, 11 Matheesha Pathirana
