Sri Lanka's Charith Asalanka Celebrates Victory Over Afghanistan in Asia Cup
Sri Lanka's Impressive Performance
Abu Dhabi [UAE], September 19: After securing a victory against Afghanistan, Sri Lanka's captain Charith Asalanka expressed his satisfaction with what he described as an "almost perfect game". He particularly praised pacer Nuwan Thusara for his outstanding four-wicket haul.
Sri Lanka concluded the group stage of the Asia Cup with an impeccable record, achieving three wins out of three matches. This performance led to the elimination of Afghanistan, who finished with one win and two losses after a six-wicket defeat to the Sri Lankan team on Thursday. Bangladesh also advanced to the Super Four stage from Group B, having won two out of three matches. From Group A, India and Pakistan progressed to the next round.
After Afghanistan opted to bat first, Thusara's impressive figures of 4/18 during the powerplay left the Afghan side struggling at 40/3. Despite contributions from Ibrahim Zadran (24 runs off 27 balls, including a six) and captain Rashid Khan (24 runs off 23 balls, with two fours and a six), Afghanistan found themselves in a tough spot at 114/7 in 17.1 overs. However, a late surge from the experienced Mohammed Nabi, who scored an explosive 60* off just 22 balls with three fours and six sixes, helped Afghanistan reach 169/7 in their allotted 20 overs.
In response, Sri Lanka faced early challenges, losing the in-form Pathum Nissanka. Despite Kusal Mendis showing remarkable form and Kusal Perera contributing 28 runs, Sri Lanka was in a precarious position at 119/4 in 14.5 overs. Nevertheless, Kusal Mendis steadied the innings with a brilliant 74* off 52 balls, hitting 10 fours, and was supported by Kamindu Mendis, who added 26* off 13 balls with two sixes. Their partnership of 52 runs guided Sri Lanka to a six-wicket victory with eight balls to spare.
In the post-match presentation, Asalanka remarked, "I am really pleased with the performance. Almost a perfect game for us. The pacers did their job well. Only the last over went wrong for us. Thushara is phenomenal; he consistently delivers in the powerplay. (Kusal) Perera was exceptional with his catches. We aim to be the best fielding side in T20Is, as catching is crucial in this format. Our supporters are incredibly supportive, especially in foreign countries."
On the other hand, Afghanistan's captain Rashid Khan reflected on the match, noting the remarkable achievement of hitting five sixes in the final over but acknowledged that their bowling did not meet expectations on a pitch that was not typical for Abu Dhabi. He recalled the team's hard work that led them to the semifinals of the T20 World Cup last year and expressed their desire to reach the Super Fours in this tournament.
"The way we finished was special. Hitting five sixes was unbelievable. Our bowling could have been better. The pitch was challenging, and we believed we could chase down 170-180 runs. We had a solid chance to chase 150 in the last game. But that's the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket. We prepared well and trained hard, aiming to at least reach the next round here," he concluded.