LAHORE: Sri Lanka survived a scare as they clinched a two-run win over Afghanistan in their Asia Cup encounter on Tuesday. Afghanistan looked set to upset Lanka with Mohammed Nabi hitting a 32-ball 65, while skipper Hashmatullah supported him with a solid 66-ball 59. But Lanka bowled the Afghans out for 289 to qualify for the Super 4s.
Nabi scored the fastest fifty for Afghanistan in ODIs, in 24 balls. Coming into bat at number six, Nabi hit six fours and three sixes to reach his fifty. Before Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman had the record of scoring fastest for Afghanistan in 27 balls against Pakistan earlier this year.
Earlier, Kusal Mendis bossed star spinner Rashid Khan in his stroke-filled 92 before Afghanistan fought back to limit Sri Lanka to 291 for eight.
Due to their inferior run rate, Afghanistan will need to chase down the target in 37.1 overs to qualify for the Super 4s from Group B alongside Bangladesh. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, need a straightforward win to advance.
Opting to bat first, Sri Lanka got off to a solid start scoring 62 runs in the first Power-play without losing a wicket. However, they slipped from 63 for no loss to 86 for 3 in no time before Charith Asalanka and Kusal Mendis added 102 runs with a rescue partnership.
Gulbadin Naib provided the early breakthrough for Afghanistan and dismissed both the openers. While Karunaratne was deceived by a slower ball, Nissanka cut a hit-me ball straight to the backward point. Rashid Khan, who entered the game only in the 21st over, gave away 31 runs in his first spell of four overs. But he returned to end the century stand.
However, Mendis didn’t get his century courtesy of brilliance in the field by Rashid Khan, but fighting knocks by tailenders Dunith Wellalage and Maheesh Theekshana provided the perfect finish to the Sri Lankans. Both the spinners added 64 runs to the total.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 291/8 in 50 overs (Kusal Mendis 92, Pathum Nissanka 41; Gulbadin Naib 4-60, Rashid Khan 2-63) beat Afghanistan 289/10 in 37.4 overs (Mohammed Nabi 65, Hashmatullah Shahidi 59, Rahmat Shah 45, Rashid Khan 27no, Kasun Rajitha 4/79). Agencies
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