(UTV|COLOMBO) – Sri Lanka have been knocked out of the 2018 Asia Cup after Afghanistan secured a resounding 91-run victory to beat their opponents in an ODI for the first time.
Thisara Perera’s first innings five-wicket haul was in vain as Afghanistan’s total of 249, fuelled by Player of the Match Rahmat Shah, proved too much for Sri Lanka to chase against an astute, varied bowling unit.
Having crashed to a 137-run defeat in the Asia Cup opener against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka entered their final group-stage encounter knowing only a win would do. Although Afghanistan had never beaten Sri Lanka in an ODI, losing both their previous encounters, they entered the campaign buoyed by recent series wins against Zimbabwe and Ireland.
Their confidence showed. After Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat, Mohammad Shahzad (34 from 47) and Ihsanullah (45 from 65) got them off to a solid start as Lasith Malinga and Dushmantha Chameera struggled to make an early breakthrough.
Afghanistan clocked up their 50 in the 11th over as the openers punished anything loose, but after smashing a maximum over mid-off Shahzad was out lbw to mystery spinner Akila Dananjaya, failing to connect with an attempted reverse-sweep.
Rahmat Shah arrived at first drop and looked in good touch from the get-go, as he ushered Afghanistan into a promising position. Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews searched for a wicket and Akila and Shehan Jayasuriya provided, dismissing Ihsanullah and Afghanistan’s leader, Asghar Afghan, both lbw – the former via a DRS review.
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