Sri Lanka survive Afghan scare to qualify for Asia Cup 2023 Super 4

Web Desk

Sri Lanka defeated Afghanistan after a thrilling clash by two runs to qualify for the Super 4 of the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 on Tuesday in Lahore.

Afghanistan were dismissed for 289 runs in 37.4 overs while chasing a target of 291 runs. Afghanistan needed to chase down the target in 37.1 overs or less in order to qualify for Super 4, which they couldn’t achieve.

However, if Afghanistan had got to 295 in 37.4 overs, they could have still qualified but it seemed that last man Fazalhaq Farooqi didn’t know that as he defended three balls in the 38th over, while also getting dismissed on the third one, rather than giving the strike to Rashid Khan, who had scored 27 off 16, on the other end.

The Afghan onslaught started with all-rounder Mohammad Nabi playing a brilliant knock of 65 runs in 32 balls, with the help of six fours and five sixes. Nabi found able support from his captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, who scored 59 runs in 66 balls. Kasun Rajitha claimed four wickets, meanwhile, Dhananjaya de Silva and Dunith Wellalage bagged two scalps each.

Earlier, Sri Lanka set a target of 292 runs after winning the toss and deciding to bat first against Afghanistan in the crucial Group B clash. Sri Lanka finished on 291-8 in 50 overs. Kusal Mendis was the top run-scorer for Sri Lanka with 92 runs in 84 balls with the help of six fours and three sixes. He was unfortunate to miss out on a well-deserved hundred after he was run-out at the bowler’s end.

Sri Lanka got off to a solid start with Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne scoring 63 runs in 10.2 overs. However, both failed to kick on after getting a start and were dismissed for 41 and 32 runs, respectively. Charith Asalanka scored 36 runs in 43 balls.

Dunith Wellalage (33 not out) and Maheesh Theekshana (28) added 64 runs in 63 balls for the eighth wicket to provide impetus at the backend of the innings. Seamer Gulbadin Naib claimed 4-60 in 10 overs, meanwhile Rashid Khan bagged figures of 2-63. Both teams didn’t make any changes to their playing XI for this Asia Cup contest.

Read More : https://tothesports.net/2023/09/05/pakistan-cricket-board-hosts-gala-dinner-at-governor-house-to-welcome-asia-cup-teams/

Mr. Azhar ul Haq Wahid - Editor Mr. Azhar ul Haq Wahid joins "To The Sports News" as an Editor, bringing a decade of comprehensive journalistic experience to our team. A respected Pakistani journalist, he has dedicated his career to covering a wide array of global issues across the world, demonstrating a deep understanding of complex subjects and a commitment to detailed reporting. Mr. Wahid has a background working with prominent print and electronic media organizations, including Channel Five TV, the newspaper "Khabrain," The Nation/Nawa-i-Waqt, NNI, Daily Sama, City 42, Star Asia, Waqt News, Daily The Business, and Daily The Khabrain. His work has covered areas such as Environment, Health, and Sports. He is also a member of the Lahore Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ), highlighting his dedication to journalistic standards and diverse reporting. His academic background includes a BS Honors degree in Sociology and an MPhil from Punjab University, alongside a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sargodha. Furthermore, Mr. Wahid is a Ph.D. candidate in Journalism at Complutense University of Madrid, and has contributed to research on topics including the relationship of sports participation with achievement, motivation, and innovation traits among university students, and the effects of parental involvement on student participation in sports. With his extensive experience in covering diverse topics and his keen analytical skills, Mr. Azhar ul Haq Wahid is poised to lead our sports news coverage with depth, accuracy, and insightful perspectives, ensuring our readers receive top-tier journalistic content.

Post Comment