Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan by 132 runs on Sunday in Hambantota, evening the three-game ODI series. The victory was fueled by the return of quick bowler Dushmantha Chameera.
The return of fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera on Sunday helped Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan by 132 runs in Hambantota and tie the three-game ODI series. After setting Afghanistan a target of 324, Sri Lankan bowlers bowled them out for 191 in 43 overs for their best win in one-day internationals. After missing seven months due to ankle surgery, Chameera returned to the team and bowled two hostile stints, resulting in two wickets for eighteen.
With their key strike bowler back in the lineup, Sri Lanka should feel confident heading to Zimbabwe for World Cup qualifying games when the series concludes.
Chameera’s injury sidelined him for some time, but captain Dasun Shanaka is relieved to see him back in the lineup.
“Dimuth Karunaratne is also back, and he provides greater batting steadiness, and he is, of course, highly experienced. The upcoming World Cup qualifying matches look promising.
Afghanistan, however, has no such issues because they have already qualified for the World Cup, which will be held later this year in India.
Part-time off-spinner Dhananjaya de Silva supported Chameera brilliantly by claiming three scalps, including that of first-match hero Ibrahim Zardan.
Wanindu Hasaranga, bowling with his legs, finished things up by taking three wickets for 42 runs.
Zardan, who had struck 98 to lead the ODI, was back in the run parade with a score of 54.
However, he cracked under the weight of the scoreboard and edged a cut ball that Kusal Mendis caught behind the wickets.
Exhortation to “Get Back Up”
Hashmatullah Shahidi, the captain, made 57 runs before being caught by de Silva’s leg before.
After that, the Afghan batting lineup folded easily, losing six wickets for only 23 runs.
That wasn’t our greatest performance, we were sloppy on the field, Shahidi stated after the game. We’ll strive to get back on track in our final match.
After getting blown out by six wickets on Friday in the first one-day international, Sri Lanka made four changes for this match.
With Karunaratne on a return trial, the openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka put on 82 runs for the first wicket.
The momentum was boosted by Kusal Mendis’s brilliant counterattack, in which he hit 78 runs off 75 balls (including seven fours and one six).
The innings were given a much-needed boost by the third-wicket stand between Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama, who was making his first ODI appearance in more than three years. They combined to score 88 runs off of 86 balls.
Sri Lanka scored 323 runs, with the lower middle order doing most of the work. The home team scored 109 runs in the final ten overs.
Afghanistan’s best bowlers were Fareed Ahmad and Mohammad Nabi, each ending with two scalps.
The final One-Day International will be played on June 7 at Hambantota.
