Mendis, Rajitha Help Sri Lanka Qualify For Super Fours

Afghanistan were denied three runs of the 38th over of their innings and deprived of a memorable victory and berth in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2023 as they failed to reach 292 in 37.1 overs in their last match of the group B here on Tuesday night

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Sep, 2023 ) :Afghanistan were denied three runs of the 38th over of their innings and deprived of a memorable victory and berth in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2023 as they failed to reach 292 in 37.1 overs in their last match of the group B here on Tuesday night.

Contrasting knocks of power and precision from Mohammad Nabi 65 (32) and Hashmatullah Shahidi 59 (66) had helped Afghanistan come close to the touching distance of victory but it alluded them by a thin margin when Dhananjaya De Silva, bowling the 38th over of the match, claimed two wickets without conceding a run and left Afghanistan heart-broken for yet another time is a closely contested match.

Afghanistan looked within touching distance of victory when Mohammad Nabi and Shahidi were together and notched up a quick-fire 80 runs off 47 balls but the fall of Mohammad Nabi in the 27th with the total a 201-5 meant Afghanistan needed 91 runs of the remaining 10.4 overs. Karim Janat 22 (13), Najibullah Zadran 23 (15) and Rashid Khan 27 (16) played useful knocks but the fall of wickets at regular intervals handed Afghanistan yet another defeat.

A swashbuckling knock of 65 off 32 balls was highlight of the Afghanistan innings while Gulbadin Naib 22 (16) and Rahmat Shah 45 (40) also played important innings for a victory after both the openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz 4 (6) and Ibrahim Zadran 7 (14) failed to provide a solid start to Afghanistan.

Afghanistan lost both the openers for 27 runs in the first five overs of the chase while Gulbadin Naib, promoted in the batting order, also fell in the 9th over with the team reeling at 50-3. Rahmat Shah and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi notched up 71 run partnership for the fourth wicket before Rahmat Shah fell for 45 (40).

Four overs from Wellalage proved fatal for Afghanistan as he claimed the prized scalps of Karim Janat and Hashmatullah Shahidi in his third over of his quota. Wellalage conceded 36 runs off his four overs while Dhananjaya did not concede a run for two wickets off the four balls he bowled. Rajitha was the the pick of the bowlers as he claimed four wickets for 79 runs. Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana picked one wicket each and conceded 62 and 63 runs respectively in their quota of 10 overs. Dasun Shanaka conceded 32 runs off his two overs.

Wicket-keeper batter Kusal Mendis, with a player of the match winning knock of 92, and Kasun Rajitha's bowling performance of 4-fer helped Sri Lanka brush aside Afghanistan challenge to make to the Super Fours of the Asia Cup 2023.

Sri Lanka were propelled to a challenging total of 291 through other useful knocks from Nissanka 41, Karunaratne 32, Asalanka 36, Theekshana 28 and Wellalage 33 not out besides 92 from Mendis. The Sri Lankan total enabled Bangladesh to make to the Super Fours of the Asia Cup while Afghanistan needed to overhaul the total in 37.

1 overs to beat reigning champion Sri Lanka and throw them out of the Asia Cup but they fell 2 runs short of the much cherished target and the last wicket fell.

Earlier, Afghanistan had their moments of brilliance when they claimed three Sri Lankan wickets on two different occasions but their bowlers could not dominate on a batting friendly Gaddafi Stadium pitch and did not seem an answer to a counterattacking innings by the wicket-keeper batter Kusal Mendis who scored 92 off 84 balls and dominated Afghan bowlers. Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka scored a 102 runs partnership off 99 balls for the fourth wicket before Asalanka 36 (43) fell to Rashid Khan in the 34th over.

Afghanistan had the reasonable chance to restrict Sri Lanka around 250 runs after they were reduced to 227-7 in the 40th over and overhaul the total within forty overs to make to the Super Fours of the Asia Cup2023 but their bowlers could not impose on the young bowling all-rounders Theekshana and Wellalage who took their team total to 291.

Sri Lanka were well set to reach 300 with the score at 221 � 4 at the beginning of the 39th over when they lost three wickets in the space of 8 balls and were reduced to 227-7 by the close of 40th over. The most unlucky was the fall of Kusal Mendis who was run out when Shanaka's drive ricocheted off Rashid Khan's fingers and hit the stumps. All-rounders Dhananjaya De Silva 14 and Shanaka could not make an impact Wellalage 33 (39) and Maheesh Theekshana 24 (28) played cautiously to stitch a useful partnership of 64 runs in 63 balls and take Sri Lanka to a challenging total of 291-8.

Openers Pathun Nissanka 41 (40) and Dimuth Karunaratne 32 (35) provided a perfect start of 63 runs in 10.2 overs after Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first. Sri Lanka lost three quick wicket between 11 and 17th over when Nissanka, Karaunaratne and Samarawickrama fell in quick succession with the team total at 86-3. A century partnership between Mendis and Asalanka ensured Sri Lankans stayed out of trouble and reach a total of respectability before panic set in and Lankans lost three wickets within 9 balls. In a moment of turbulence when Dhananjaya and Shanaka played some insensible strokes, sanity prevailed as Wellalage and Theekshana played with caution to reach 291-8.

Gulbadin Naib was the most successful bowler for Afghanistan who claimed four wickets for 60 runs while Muhammad Nabi was the most economical conceding 35 runs in 10 overs. Rashid Khan, though expensive by his standards, claimed two wickets for 63 runs while Mujeebur Rehman picked one wicket for 60 runs. Fazalhaq Farooqi was expensive for the second day as he conceded 52 runs in 7 overs and was taken out of the attack. Karim Janat conceded 20 runs in three overs.

Kusal Mendis was adjudged Player of the Match for his match-winning knock of 92 runs.