Mohammad Nabi's valiant knock of 65 off 32 balls went in vain as Sri Lanka pulled off a thrilling two-run win over an audacious Afghanistan to qualify for the Super4s of the Asia Cup in Lahore on Tuesday.
#SLvsAFG #srilankavsafghanistan #asiacup2023 #mohammadnabhibatting #mohammadnabi
~HT.178~
#SLvsAFG #srilankavsafghanistan #asiacup2023 #mohammadnabhibatting #mohammadnabi
~HT.178~
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SportsTranscript
00:00 Mohammad Nabi's valiant knock of 65 of 32 deliveries went in vain as Sri Lanka pulled
00:08 off a thrilling two-run win over an audacious Afghanistan to qualify for the Superforce
00:15 of the Asia Cup 2023 in Lahore.
00:18 Gusal Mendes' high-quality 92 had pushed Sri Lanka to 291 for 8 at the Gaddafi Stadium.
00:26 Due to their inferior run rate, Afghanistan needed to chase down 292 in 37.1 overs and
00:33 Nabi put them on the cusp of a famous win by smashing the fastest half-century by an
00:38 Afghanistan batter in ODIs.
00:41 In what turned out to be a riveting finish, the qualifying equation came down to 15 runs
00:46 needed of 7 balls and Rashid Khan increased the heart rate on either side of the dressing
00:52 room by finding three fours of left-arm spinner Dunit Velalage in the 37th over.
00:59 At that tense moment, Afghanistan needed three runs of the first ball of the 38th over with
01:05 two wickets in hand.
01:06 However, Mujib Zadran's wicket on the first ball of the over caused heartbreak in Afghanistan
01:12 camp with disappointment written all over the players' faces in the dressing room.
01:17 Such was the level of their dejection that they were not alert enough to know that Afghanistan
01:22 still had a chance if they hit six of the following three balls in the 38th over.
01:28 Rashid was left stranded at the other end with Pazalag Faruqi trapped in front by Dhananjaya
01:33 De Silva.
01:34 Following the close finish, Sri Lanka became the second team to qualify for the Super Fours
01:39 from Group B after Bangladesh.
01:42 Afghanistan had lost their top three for 50 runs before Nabi produced an innings to remember
01:48 while batting alongside skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, who scored 59.
01:52 Nabi's special effort comprised five sixes and half a dozen boundaries.
01:57 Earlier, Sri Lanka openers Pathum Nisanka, who scored 41, and Dhimut Karunaratne, who
02:03 scored 32, gave a brisk start to the innings before being dismissed by medium pacer Gulbadeen
02:09 Naib.
02:10 Rather than the bowler's skills, it was more about the openers throwing their wickets away
02:15 after a bright beginning.
02:17 Batting at number three, Mendes put Sri Lanka on course for a 300-plus total with a near-flawless
02:24 effort comprising six boundaries and three sixes.
02:27 The highlight of his sublime innings was the comfort with which he played the willy Rashid,
02:32 who has a reputation of foxing the best in the business.
02:37 Mendes had no issues picking his googlys and in the 26th over, worked him for three consecutive
02:42 fours on the leg side.
02:44 Later, in Rashid's spell, Mendes made good contact with the leggy's googly to send it
02:49 over long on for a maximum.
02:52 The Sri Lankan batter deserved a hundred but was run out in an unfortunate fashion.
02:57 His 102 runs tanned with Charitha Salanka, who scored 36 of 43, further consolidated
03:03 for Sri Lanka.
03:04 However, Afghan spinners removed Dhananjaya De Silva and skipper Dasun Shanaka in a space
03:10 of six balls to slow down the scoring rate.
03:13 In the end, Sri Lanka did well to get close to the 300-run mark thanks to a 64-run stand
03:19 for the eighth wicket between Mahesh T. Kshana and Dhunith Vellalage.
03:29 [MUSIC PLAYING]