Sri Lanka square series with 132-run win over Afghanistan

Sri lanka square series with 132-run win over afghanistan 0

With a resounding victory by 132 runs in Hambantota on Sunday, Sri Lanka evened the score in the one-day international series against Afghanistan that they are now playing.

After setting the tourists a target of 324, the Sri Lankan bowlers restricted the tourists to 191 runs in only 43 overs to earn their largest victory in one-day internationals against Afghanistan.

Dushmantha Chameera, a quick bowler, made his return to the team after a seven-month absence due to ankle surgery. He bowled a number of hostile stints and finished with two wickets for 18 runs.

As soon as this series concludes, Sri Lanka will immediately go for World Cup qualifying matches in Zimbabwe, thus the team will receive a boost from the return of their primary strike bowler.

Afghanistan does not face any of these challenges because they have already been qualified to compete in the World Cup that will be held in India later this year.

Dhananjaya de Silva, a part-time off-spinner, provided excellent support for Chameera. De Silva finished with three wickets, one of which was the first-match hero Ibrahim Zardan.

Wanindu Hasaranga, bowling leg spin, completed the tail by collecting three wickets for 42 runs.

Zardan, who had finished with the highest score in the previous one-day international with 98 runs, was once again among the run scorers with 54.

But the strain of the scoreboard got to him, as he edged a cut shot effort that Kusal Mendis behind the stumps caught with ease.

Hashmatullah Shahidi, who was captaining the team, had the highest score with 57 runs before getting out caught by de Silva leg before.

After then, the Afghan batsmen offered very little resistance, and as a result, they lost six wickets for a total of 23 runs.

After suffering a six-wicket defeat in the last one-day international (ODI), Sri Lanka made four substitutions for this match.

Openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka had scored 82 runs for the first wicket, with Karunaratne doing well to make 52 off 62 balls when he was on a return trial. Nissanka was the one who had taken the first wicket.

After that, Kusal Mendis picked up the pace with an outstanding counterattack, scoring 78 runs off of 75 balls with seven fours and one six.

It was Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama’s partnership for the third wicket that provided the much-needed momentum for the innings. Sadeera Samarawickrama was playing in his first ODI in more than three years. Together, they contributed 88 runs in 86 balls.

The lower middle order for Sri Lanka was the engine that drove them to a total score of 323, with the hosts hitting 109 runs in the final ten overs of their innings.

The best bowlers for Afghanistan were Fareed Ahmad and Mohammad Nabi, who both finished with two wickets. Mohammad Nabi also took two wickets.

The third and final one-day international match will take played on June 7 at Hambantota as well.

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