Watch: Fazalhaq Farooqi nailed Maheesh Theekshana with an inch-perfect yorker to seal a new career-best haul in Afghanistan’s World Cup clash against Sri Lanka today (October 30).

He finished his 10 overs with figures of 4-34, beating his previous best of 4-49, also taken against Sri Lanka in 2022.

The match is an important one in the World Cup semi-final race. Whoever wins will be in fifth position in the table and will remain able to reach six wins, a mark which should be enough to finish in the top four. The two sides have each enjoyed strong campaigns, beating defending champions England and winning one other game so far.

It is therefore of little surprise that the first innings of the game was closely contested, Afghanistan set 242 to win with contributions throughout the Sri Lankan line-up. Eight of the top nine made it to double figures, but Pathum Nissanka’s 46 was the top score.

Farooqi was responsible for regularly pegging back Sri Lanka, pinning Dimuth Karunaratne lbw for the first dismissal, prising out Charith Asalanka towards the end of the middle overs, and halting a late charge from Theekshana and Angelo Mathews.

The Theekshana dismissal was the pick of the bunch, Farooqi smashing middle stump with a ball right in the blockhole.

Watch Farooqi dismiss Theekshana below:

 

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