AFG vs SL Cricket World Cup 2023 Highlights: Dominant Afghanistan register 7-wicket win over Sri Lanka

Pune, Oct 30: Afghanistan secured a well-deserved victory against Sri Lanka in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Monday (October 30) to continue their good show in the tournament.

Driven by Rahmat Shah, skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, and Azmatullah Omarzai, who delivered superb half-centuries, Afghanistan defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the match at Maharashtra Cricket Associaton (MCA) in Pune.

Chasing a target of 242 runs for victory, Afghanistan managed to surpass it in 45.2 overs, losing only three wickets along the way. A critical 111-run partnership between Shahidi (58 not out) and Azmatullah (73 not out) solidified their win, marking their third victory in the tournament.

This achievement catapulted Afghanistan to the fifth spot in the rankings with six points, and with three more matches to go, their dreams of reaching the semifinals are well within reach. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, remains in the sixth position with four points from six matches.

Afghanistan entered the match against Sri Lanka as slight favorites after their remarkable performances against England and Pakistan. Their fast bowler, Fazalhaq Farooqi, was the star of the show, grabbing four wickets for 34 runs to dismantle the Sri Lankan side for a total of 241 runs.

Despite the early dismissal of opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the determined Ibrahim Zadran (39) steadied the innings during a 72-run second-wicket partnership with Rahmat.

However, left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka dismissed Gurbaz early on, creating some challenges for Afghanistan. Still, they responded confidently, dispatching loose deliveries for runs, although the majority of their runs came from singles and twos.

Zadran and Rahmat joined forces to restore the innings and form a half-century partnership. Zadran displayed aggression, with a well-timed boundary off Madushanka in the third over, followed by a classy back-foot drive through extra cover in the seventh over.

The battle-hardened Afghanistan team wasn't greatly unsettled by the early setback, exhibiting both skill and resolve. As the game progressed, Madushanka and spinner Maheesh Theekshana imposed some pressure by restricting boundaries during the 11th to 16th overs. Nevertheless, Madushanka's well-placed bouncer, which sharply rose, brought an end to Zadran's innings.

After Rahmat completed his 25th ODI half-century, an unfortunate dismissal followed. A leading edge from Rahmat popped up, ending up in Karunaratne's hands at mid-on. Nonetheless, Shahidi and Omarzai carried Afghanistan to another remarkable World Cup victory.

In the first innings, Afghanistan's pacer, Fazalhaq Farooqi, was the key figure in dismantling Sri Lanka on a relatively straightforward pitch. Afghanistan's spinners, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2/38) and Rashid Khan (1/50), provided crucial support by creating pressure and limiting the scoring opportunities for in-form batters like Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama. Despite limited assistance from the pitch, they bowled with precision and varied their pace effectively.

The Lankan batting, asked to bat first, never found its footing. Farooqi, Mujeeb, and Rashid maintained tight lengths and varied pace throughout their spells. While Nissanka played confidently, keeping the scoreboard ticking, his partner Dimuth Karunaratne seemed tentative.

A Farooqi delivery that darted in finally accounted for Karunaratne, who was dismissed with a vociferous lbw appeal. Nissanka, who had performed admirably against England, scoring an unbeaten 77, continued to accumulate runs but lacked his earlier aggression, primarily dealing in singles and twos alongside skipper Kusal Mendis. Nissanka eventually fell to a back of length delivery from Omarzai, caught behind by wicketkeeper Gurbaz.

Pakistan chase gave us a lot of confidence and belief that we can chase any kind of target. We started really well in bowling (against SL) and the chase was very professional and I am very happy about it," said Shahidi in the post-match presentation.

The Afghan skipper said their coach Jonathan Trott changed his and the team's mindset. "Coaches are always positive. We worked very hard before the World Cup. Right now, all the coaching and management staff are working hard and giving us confidence. "Before the Pakistan game, coach's (Trott) words changed my and the team's mindset a lot," he added.