Watch: Matheesha Pathirana smashed the stumps twice in an astonishing 19th over to help Sri Lanka seal a thriller against Afghanistan in Dambulla.
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Sri Lanka were reduced to 55-4 Afghanistan won the toss in the first T20I of the three-match series, in Dambulla, and opted to field. New captain Wanindu Hasaranga then slammed a 32-ball 67 with seven fours and three sixes to lift them to 160.
For Afghanistan, Fazalhaq Farooqi returned 3-25, Naveen-ul-Haq 2-25, and Azmatullah Omarzai 2-30.
Afghanistan began their response well, and at one point needed 93 in 74 balls with nine wickets in hand. But Hasaranga stepped up again, clean bowling Gulbadin Naib with a googly to trigger a collapse.
Matheesha Pathirana played his part, having Omarzai caught at cover and trapping Karim Janat leg-before, but captain Ibrahim Zadran stayed put. By the time Pathirana began the 19th over, Afghanistan needed 14 in 12 balls with three men standing.
After Ibrahim got a single, Pathirana unleashed a 153kph yorker that missed the stumps. The next ball, hurled at 150kph, beat Noor Ahmad for pace and hit timber. Naveen-ul-Haq got off the strike, but Ibrahim ran another single, bringing Naveen back on strike for the last ball.
Now Pathirana hurled another yorker, this one at 150kph. Naveen, in no position to play a shot, was clean bowled, and Afghanistan were left to chase 11 in the last over as Pathirana finished with 4-24 from four overs.
Ibrahim (67 not out in 55 balls, eight fours) managed only six of these as Binura Fernando put up an excellent demonstration of wide yorkers.
