Sri Lanka vs. Afghanistan - 2nd T20I Afghanistan seek redemption against Sri Lanka

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Sri Lanka’s Matheesha Pathirana (c) celebrates with teammates Kunal Mendis (L) and Maheesh Theekshana (R) after taking a wicket (Photo credits: AFP)

Afghanistan will look to stay afloat in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka when they take on the Lankan Lions in the second game today (19) at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla.

Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran would be very happy with how his bowlers fared in the first T20I. Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, the visitors bowled out Sri Lanka for 160 in 19 overs. Except for Qais Ahmed, who conceded 36 runs in three overs, all the other Afghan bowlers did a commendable job. Wanindu Hasaranga played a stunning knock of 67 off 32 balls to take his team to a competitive total.

In reply, Hasaranga’s opposite number, Ibrahim, played the role of an anchor, but his team kept losing wickets at the other end. He remained unbeaten on 67 off 55, failing to get the 11 runs required to win in the last over, bowled by Binura Fernando. Afghanistan were eventually restricted to 156/9, losing by just four runs. Matheesha Pathirana bowled an excellent penultimate over to pull things back in Sri Lanka’s favour. 

Sri Lanka probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Maheesh Theekshana, Binura Fernando, Matheesha Pathirana.

Afghanistan probable XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran (c), Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Qais Ahmad, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq.

(Agencies)