T20 WC: SL knock Afghanistan out after clinical 6-wicket victory

Story by  ATV | Posted by  Nakul Shivani • 1 Years ago
Sri Lanka defeated Afghanistan to keep their hopes for a semifinal berth alive
Sri Lanka defeated Afghanistan to keep their hopes for a semifinal berth alive

 

Brisbane

Sri Lanka knocked Afghanistan out of the T20 World Cup after handing them a crushing 6-wicket loss at the Gabba in the ongoing T20 World Cup on Tuesday.

Buoyed by the match-winning knock of Dhananjaya de Silva and Wanindu Hasaranga's three wicket haul, Sri Lanka registered their second win of the tournament to keep their T20 World Cup dream alive.

Chasing the target, Sri Lankan openers made a slow start to their inning. Pathum Nissanka was dismissed for 10 in the second over to draw first blood for Afghanistan.

Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis then stitched a 34-run partnership or the second wicket, before Afghanistan's trump card Rashid Khan came in the eighth over to dismiss Mendis. He scored 25 off 27 balls before being dismissed by Rashid.

Charith Asalanka joined Dhananjaya at the crease and the duo took the attack to the Afghan bowlers after a slow start and plundered their bowlers for runs as they shared a crucial 54-run stand for the third wicket.

Dhananjaya and Aslanka punished the Afghan bowlers for deviating away from their line and lengths and helped give Sri Lankan inning the much-needed impetus.

Rashid khan was taken to the cleaners after Dhananjaya smashed the bowler for a six and a four in the 11th over. Mohammad Nabi was dealt in the same fashion as Dhananjaya struck him for a six in the 12th over.

The partnership was finally broken by Rashid in the 14th over, as he dismissed Asalanka for a 18 ball 19 run inning.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa joined Dhananjaya at the crease and went after the bowlers right from the word go, smashing a boundary on his very first ball. The batter struck three boundaries in his brief stay of 18(14) and could not take the team over the line.

Dhananjaya de Silva however made sure that the team does not suffer any hiccups and took his team over the line, smashing a superb boundary in the 19th over.

Earlier, Sri Lankan bowlers delivered a superb bowling performance to restrict Afghanistan to 144/8 following Wanindu Hasaranga's three-wicket haul at the Gabba.

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Wanindu Hasaranga was announced the 'Player of the Match' for his superb bowling performance.