Afghans ambushed at Pallekele

By Shamseer Jaleel in Pallekele

Sri Lanka kept their hopes of securing direct qualification for the 2023 Cricket World Cup alive, when they beat Afghanistan by four wickets in a record run chase at the Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium in their third and final ODI yesterday.

The series was shared between the teams at one a piece after the second ODI ended in no decision due to rain.

Sri Lanka will now need to clean sweep New Zealand away next March in their three-match series to ensure they have the best possible chance to qualify for the 2023 Cricket World Cup.

Sri Lanka made two changes bringing in Dulith Wellalage and Asitha Fernando replacing Dhananjaya Lakshan and Lahiru Kumara, and it was the young Wellalage alongside Charith Asalanka who took the home team across the line, with two balls and four wickets to spare.

Chasing 314 for victory, Sri Lanka started well with Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis putting on 101 runs for the first wicket.

Mendis was more attacking while Nissanka played an anchor role supporting him. Mendis’ knock consisting of eight boundaries and a huge six, coming off only 61 balls and provided a solid foundation for the huge run chase of a 300-plus score.

But once Mendis was dismissed, Rashid Khan did not take much time to remove both Nissanka (35) and Dhananjaya (5), both being clean bowled, putting the hosts in a spot of bother.
Then Dinesh Chandimal and Asalanka, who would later be named Man of the Match, put on 48 runs for the fourth wicket, giving the hosts a glimmer of hope.

But it was short lived as Chandimal was bowled by Mohammad Nabi for 33 which put Sri Lanka on the backfoot once again in their run chase.

Asalanka and skipper Dasun Shanaka batted with lot of authority adding 79 for the fifth wicket. Both batted well, taking quick singles, but Khan made the crucial breakthrough once again, bowling Shanaka for 43, with Sri Lanka’s score on 243.

Asalanka and his school mate, Wanindu Hasaranga paired off for the sixth wicket, and soon afterwards Asalanka reached his half century, which came off only 49 balls. But it was Khan once again making the breakthrough, forcing Wanindu to edge one towards the wicket keeper to put the visitors back in control of the game.

Youngster Wellalage joined Asalanka and put on 65 valuable runs for the seventh wicket in an unfinished stand. Thirteen runs were needed in the last over and Wellalage hit a six off the very first ball off Farooqi and then Asalanka finished off with another a huge six off the same bowler to pull off a thriller in the Central Hills – the highest run chase at Pallekelle.
Khan bowled beautifully taking four wickets while Nabi took two wickets sharing all of the wickets the home team lost.

Afghanistan won the toss for a third time in the series and opted to bat first with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran opening for the visitors, but the partnership was short lived as Gurbaz was out for 5 when the score board was on 6.

Rahmat Shah joined Ibrahim Zadran at the wicket. Both put on 41 runs for the second wicket when Shah, who looked set, was out for 22. Rajitha bowled with an accurate line and length in his first spell and looked the best bowler for the hosts. Skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, who joined Ibrahim for the third wicket,  did not last long as he was out for 4.
Both Ibrahim Zadran and Najibullah Zadran batted beautifully adding 154 runs for the fourth wicket which put the Sri Lankans on the backfoot and the visitors in full control. The partnership built a solid foundation for a big Afghanistan score to chase by the hosts. Najimullah who played a supporting role was out for a well-compiled 77 which came only off 76 balls. His breezy innings consisted of eight boundaries and one huge six.

Soon after the dismissal of Najimullah, Ibrahim Zadran scored his century off 100 deliveries. The right-handed opening bat played confidentially scoring some brisk runs -- his second century of the series after scoring a magnificent hundred in their first one day match at the same ground.

Nabi, Gulbadin Naib and Khan all three were out for low scores going for quick runs.

Ibrahim continued his fine knock without any trouble scoring 162 off only 132 balls with 15 boundaries and four massive sixes, batting the entire innings. This score was the highest for Afghanistan in the series against Sri Lanka and he was the first Afghanistan batsman to score two centuries in the same series, earning him the Man of the Series award. Kasun Rajitha took three wickets while Hasaranga took two.