Sri Lanka Beats Afghanistan By 4 Runs In Thrilling T20 Series Opener

DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka: Matheesha Pathirana and Binura Fernando bowled sensible demise overs for Sri Lanka to beat Afghanistan by 4 runs in a Twenty20 on Saturday.

Captain Ibrahim Zadran batted Afghanistan to the brink of its first win of the tour however they might rating solely 9 runs within the final two overs when 14 have been wanted.

Pathirana bowled the 19th over and took two wickets and allowed solely three runs. He was named man of the match.

Fernando, who conceded 38 runs in his earlier three overs, bowled the final over and began with 4 dot balls in opposition to Zadran, who refused singles to not expose No. 11 batter Fazalhaq Farooqi. That left Afghanistan to attain 11 off the final two balls and Zadran scored two and completed with a meaningless eighth boundary.

Zadran completed 67 not out off 55 balls.

Sri Lanka was all out for 160 in 19 overs with captain Wanindu Hasaranga scoring 67 off 32 deliveries together with three sixes and 7 boundaries.

Fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi took 3-25 whereas Naveen-ul -Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai took two wickets every.

Afghanistan was 71-Three after 9 overs within the chase however collapsed and was held to 156-9.

Pathirana, taking part in his second T20, returned 4-24. Dasun Shanaka had 2-17 together with two wickets in the identical over.

Earlier, Sri Lanka misplaced in-form opening batter Pathum Nissanka on 6 when he slashed at quick bowler Farooqi and was caught behind.

Sri Lanka was 55-4 when Hasaranga joined Sadeera Samarawickama and the pair added 72 runs for the fifth wicket.

After Samarawickrama was run out for 25, Sri Lanka misplaced wickets shortly to be bowled out with one over to spare in a Rangiri Dambulla Stadium renovated and reopened for worldwide video games.

Sri Lanka received the one-off check, and swept the one-day worldwide collection 3-0. The second of three T20s is on Monday.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)