SL vs AFG Highlights: Charith Asalanka’s blazing 97 and Wanindu Hasaranga’s 4-27 helped Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan by 155 runs in the second match to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series in Kandy on February 11.
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After opting to bat first, Sri Lanka lost the previous match’s double centurion Pathum Nissanka for 18 as Azmatullah Omarzai wrapped the batter around his pads. Avishka Fernando (five in 23 balls) soon followed his opening partner, handing a regulation catch to Gulbadin Naib at point off Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Sri Lanka lost both openers for 36 runs inside the 10 overs. The tourists had another chance to tighten the noose, but Naib dropped a sitter of captain Kusal Mendis, then on 12. The reprieve proved costly as Mendis (61 off 65) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (52 off 61) put up 103 for the third wicket.
Charith Asalanka’s trailblazing 74-ball 97, comprising nine fours and two sixes, then gave Sri Lanka’s innings a late flourish to stretch their total over 300. The dashing southpaw received support from rookie all-rounder Janith Liyanage, who chimed in with a handy 48-ball 50 in a 111-run partnership. Sri Lanka finished on 308-6.
Chasing the formidable total, Rahmanullah Gurbaz fell for a 20-ball eight: he nicked Asitha Fernando, and wicketkeeper Mendis took a brilliant one-handed stunner diving to his right. After the early breakthrough, Ibrahim Zadran (63) and Rahmat Shah (54) steadied the ship with a 97-run stand, taking Afghanistan to 128-1. However, Fernando struck again, this time against Zadran, snaring the batter to Mendis.
Wanindu Hasaranga made further inroads with twin scalps in the 30th over, trapping Rahmat in front before knocking over captain Hashmatullah Shahidi’s stumps for nine. Teetering at 146-4, Afghanistan lost their last six wickets for just seven runs. Hasaranga was the star performer with the ball for Sri Lanka, finishing with 4-27 off 6.5 overs.
