Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan by four wickets with five balls to spare in their Super Four match of the Asia Cup cricket tournament at the Sharjah International Stadium yesterday.
Chamika Karunaratne hit the winning boundary to seal the win as Sri Lanka made a good comeback after losing the first game to Afghanistan.
Earlier Afghanistan put into bat by Sri Lanka who won the toss made 175 for 6 in the 20 overs with Rahmanullah Gurbaz hitting 84 in just 45 balls with six sixes and four fours as he put on 93 runs for the second wicket in 10.2 with his partner Ibrahim Zadran who made 40.
Gurbaz survived with his score on 14 when Dhanushka Gunathilaka held on to a catch that was put to the third umpire who ruled that the fielder’s boot had touched the boundary line and a six was signaled in the fifth ball of the third over bowled by Maheesh Theekshana.
Gurbaz was very familiar with the Sri Lanka bowlers after playing in two LPLs in Sri Lanka.
Zadran hit two fours and one six and their partnership ended when Gurbaz was out in the 16th over caught by Hasaranga de Silva near the boundary with the Afghanistan total at 139.
The two came together in the final ball of the fifth over after opener Hazratullah Zazai was bowled by Dilshan Madushanka for 13.
Gurbaz dominated the bowlers during his stay at the crease and never allowed the bowlers to settle in to a good line and length as he hit six sixes.
Hasaranga de Silva bowled his four overs and did not take a wicket conceding 23 runs as did Chamika Karunaratne who bowled just two overs and gave away 29 runs with two wide balls.
Sri Lanka has two more matches remaining one against India on Tuesday and the other against Pakistan on Friday to qualify for the final on September 11.
Today India take on Pakistan in their Super Four match.
Scores:
Afghanistan 175 for 6 in 20 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 84, Ibrahim Zadran 40, Dilshan Madushanka 2 for 37)
Sri Lanka 179 for 6 in 19.1 overs (Pathum Nissanka 35, Kusal Mendis 36, Dhanushka Gunathilaka 33, Bhanuka Rajapakse 31, Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva 16 not out)