Sri Lanka Edges Out Afghanistan in Thrilling Asia Cup Clash
In a nail-biting finish at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Sri Lanka clinched a six-wicket victory over Afghanistan in their final Group B match of the Asia Cup. Nuwan Thushara’s fiery 4-18 spell and Kusal Mendis’s unbeaten 74 off 52 balls steered the Lankans to chase down 170 with ease, confirming their spot in the Super Fours alongside Bangladesh. This heartbreaking loss knocked out Afghanistan, the surprise T20 World Cup semi-finalists from last year.
Afghanistan posted 169/8 in their 20 overs, thanks to a stunning late burst from veteran Mohammad Nabi. But Sri Lanka’s bowlers, led by Thushara, kept things tight early on. The chase was no cakewalk on a pitch with grip and bounce, yet Kusal Mendis made it look simple with his elegant pulls, cuts, and sweeps – ten boundaries in all that thrilled the crowd.
Sri Lanka started strong but hit bumps early. Pathum Nissanka fell for just six, pulling Azmatullah Omarzai straight to short fine leg. Kusal Perera joined him soon after, chipping Mohammad Nabi to extra cover, leaving the score at 52/2 after the powerplay. The match hung in balance, but Mendis stepped up big time. He notched his fifty off 40 balls with a cheeky sweep, matching Nissanka’s record of 17 T20I half-centuries. His smart strike rotation and gap-finding kept Sri Lanka cruising ahead of the run rate, even as wickets tumbled.
Kusal Perera’s exit – caught behind off Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s spin – sparked brief hope for Afghanistan. But Charith Asalanka steadied the ship with a quick dab to backward point, pushing Sri Lanka to 101/3 and sealing their Super Fours berth. Asalanka departed shortly after, and Kamindu Mendis dodged a run-out scare when Rashid Khan hurt his back with a wild throw and limped off.
Mendis and Kamindu then turned on the aggression, smashing boundaries off Noor Ahmad and Fazalhaq Farooqi. Mendis wrapped up the win with a slashing cut and a powerful pull through mid-wicket off Mujeeb – both fours that sent fans into cheers. Afghanistan’s bowlers slipped up with loose deliveries at key moments, unable to stop the flow.
Earlier, Afghanistan’s innings exploded in the death overs, powered by Nabi’s explosive 60 off 22 balls. They were reeling at 120/7 after 18 overs, but Nabi flipped the script with a brutal assault. His 35-run partnership with captain Rashid Khan (24) became the innings’ best stand. In the final over from Dunith Wellalage, Nabi hammered five sixes – one off a no-ball – adding a whopping 32 runs. He even survived a dropped catch by Wellalage in the deep, which stung Sri Lanka later.
Afghanistan raced to 26/0 in the first two overs but crumbled under Thushara’s powerplay magic. He dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Karim Janat, and Sediqullah Atal, reducing them to 45/3. Strike rotation dried up with no boundaries after the fourth over. Sri Lanka’s fielding shone bright – Kusal Perera’s relay catch nailed Darwish Rasooli, and Dushmantha Chameera’s diving grab sent Azmatullah Omarzai packing.
Rashid sparked a fightback, smashing Dasun Shanaka for two boundaries, including a no-look six, before Thushara bowled him. Nabi ignited his fireworks against Chameera, hitting three boundaries in an over for 17 runs. Despite Nabi’s heroics, it wasn’t enough as Sri Lanka’s composure won the day.
Brief scores: Afghanistan 169/8 in 20 overs (Mohammad Nabi 60, Rashid Khan 24; Nuwan Thushara 4-18, Dasun Shanaka 1-29) lost to Sri Lanka 171/4 in 18.4 overs (Kusal Mendis 74*, Kusal Perera 28; Azmatullah Omarzai 1-10, Noor Ahmad 1-37) by six wickets.
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