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There was a whiteboard with a plan, and it was pretty simple
10 overs – 50
20-100
30-150
40-200
50-242
And it was working. They were short here and there, but it was working.
On the other side of the pitch, Sri Lanka’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals took a significant hit. To stay in contention, they now needed to win all of their next three games against India, Bangladesh, and New Zealand. The pressure was mounting.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, appeared increasingly lost as the innings progressed. They needed more ideas and energy on a pitch that offered little assistance. It was a stark contrast to their earlier aggressive intent in the tournament.
Despite a pitch described as a “batter’s paradise,” Sri Lanka struggled to find boundaries, especially during the powerplay. Their lowest score after 10 overs in the entire tournament was a mere 41 for 1, highlighting their lack of ambition.
Sri Lanka’s reticent approach affected their ability to capitalize on opportunities. Quality deliveries from Afghanistan’s bowlers often resulted in wickets, leaving Sri Lanka’s batters frustrated.
The mini-collapse that followed Kusal Mendis’ dismissal saw Sri Lanka tumble from 134 for 2 to 185 for 7. Despite a 50-run stand between Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sri Lanka couldn’t build the momentum they desperately needed.
Only a rearguard stand of 45 runs between Angelo Mathews and Maheesh Theekshana helped Sri Lanka reach a somewhat respectable total. However, it proved insufficient against a dominant Afghanistan side on a true batting surface.
But what made this game special was the stellar performance of Afghanistan’s bowlers. They stifled Sri Lanka’s batters on a pitch that was seemingly tailor-made for batting. Both teams, strangely, rarely scored at more than five runs an over.
Fazalhaq Farooqi was the pick of the bunch ending with figures of 4 for 34, but the most intriguing quirk of this game was that despite being afforded a true surface with a lack of lateral movement and minimal turn, both sides rarely scored at more than five an over.
Azmat and Hashmat have done it again after doing this exactly with India. I’m also realising that this would be their 3rd consecutive win!
They won by 7 wickets, that was cold, calculated and well-planned innings.
Partnerships were key to Afghanistan’s chase, with Ibrahim Zadran, Shah, Shahidi, and Omarzai forming the backbone of their innings. Instead of actively seeking boundaries, they patiently accepted the opportunities that came their way, showcasing remarkable discipline.
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