*Pune, October 30, 2023* – In a sensational encounter at the ICC Men’s World Cup, Afghanistan pulled off a remarkable victory, chasing down a target of 242 runs with 28 balls to spare, securing a seven-wicket win against Sri Lanka. Rahmat Shah, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Hashmatullah Shahidi showcased extraordinary batting prowess, leading Afghanistan to a memorable triumph in Pune on Monday.
Batting second, Afghanistan faced an early setback with Rahmanullah Gurbaz departing for a duck in the very first over. However, Rahmat Shah (62), skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (58*), and Azmatullah Omarzai (73*) delivered exceptional performances, solidifying Afghanistan’s position and guiding them to victory. Their resilient partnership left Sri Lanka struggling to break through, and Afghanistan eventually clinched the win.
Seeing this victory, Indian opener Virender Sehwag took a cheeky dig at Bangladesh. He said that even since playing for 25 years, Bangladesh haven’t achieved what Afghanistan has.
Sehwag’s Tweet
Wow Afghanistan, what a performance. So much to learn from the spirit @ACBofficials
have shown . Bangladesh has been around for 25 years and they haven’t beaten the big teams in a row so often as the Afghan boys have done in a much shorter span of time. The most improved side in a short duration. #AFGvsSL
For Sri Lanka, Dilshan Madushanka claimed two wickets, and Kasun Rajitha took one, but their efforts proved insufficient to thwart Afghanistan’s pursuit.
Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka had set a target of 242 runs. Opener Pathum Nissanka (46), Kusal Mendis (39), and Sadeera Samarawickrama (36) provided promising starts but failed to capitalize on them, as Afghan bowlers consistently picked up wickets. Fazalhaq Farooqi was the star performer with the ball, amassing four wickets, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2/38), Azmatullah Omarzai (1/37), and Rashid Khan (1/50) also made valuable contributions to limit Sri Lanka.
In a bid to rally late momentum, Maheesh Theekshana (29) and Angelo Mathews (23) combined to add a crucial 45 runs for the eighth wicket, but it wasn’t enough to change the course of the game.
Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka, who had been in red-hot form, finally met his match as he was dismissed for 46 runs. Nissanka’s impressive run of successive World Cup fifties came to an end, breaking a streak of consistent performances that included scores of 51, 61, 54, and 77 not out in previous matches.
The victory elevates Afghanistan’s position in the World Cup standings, while Sri Lanka faces a challenging road ahead to secure a spot in the tournament’s knockout stages. Cricket fans around the world eagerly await the next thrilling encounters in the ICC Men’s World Cup, with Afghanistan’s remarkable win over Sri Lanka adding to the excitement of the tournament.
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