Image Credit- AFP
In the third Twenty20 International match in Dambulla,
Afghanistan survived attacks at the end of the innings from Pathum Nissanka and
Kamindu Mendis, respectively, to secure a tight victory over Sri Lanka by three
runs. In other words, Sri Lanka wins the series 2-1, while Afghanistan closes
the series on a positive note by earning their lone victory at the last
possible moment.
The last two pitches of each innings ultimately proved to be the difference.
Afghanistan, who chose to bat first, reached 209 for 5 when debutant Mohammed
Ishaq hit 10 runs off their last two balls. In reply, Sri Lanka needed to score
10 points off of 2, but Kamindu could only muster six, even after the game’s
last ball.
There were several vicious blows in between, the most
notable of which came from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who scored an incredible 70 off
43 balls to lay the groundwork for the visitors’ enormous total. Hazratullah
Zazai opened alongside him, bludgeoning an even more devastating 45 off 22.
In reply, Sri Lanka’s Nissanka took the lead with a 30-ball 60 until a
hamstring strain forced him to be removed due to injury, but Kamindu’s 65 off
39 made sure the match would be decided at the last minute.
It’s safe to say that the bowlers had a rough day because none of them were
able to bowl at an economy rate of less than eight, and the seamers on both
sides took the worst of the abuse, with each taking more than ten runs an over.
In the previous few years, there had been numerous
correlations between Sri Lanka’s higher totals and an onslaught of Kusal
Mendis; nevertheless, in terms of Sri Lanka, 2024 has been the Nissanka show.
While many were taken aback by his double-ton in the ODIs, Nissanka now appears
determined to fully change his white-ball style and develop into a pocket-sized
power batter.
Even with Nissanka’s explosive start, Sri Lanka
managed to retain the needed rate within striking distance, even though they
lost players at a low cost, such as Kusal Perera and Wanindu Hasaranga.
This was mostly due to a momentum-shifting stand that Kamindu and
Samarawickrama had, with Kamindu scoring 53 off 33. Afghanistan may have
thought they were home and clear when Samarawickrama went down, edging a cut to
the keeper, and Mathews soon after holing out in the deep, but another quick
fire stand upset the equilibrium once more.
This was mostly due to a momentum-shifting stand that
Kamindu and Samarawickrama had, with Kamindu scoring 53 off 33. Afghanistan may
have thought they were home and clear when Samarawickrama went down, edging a
cut to the keeper, and Mathews soon after holing out in the deep, but another
quick fire stand upset the equilibrium once more.
Dasun Shanaka and Kamindu put up 35 off 17 overs, but
Mendis and Sri Lanka came up painfully short when Shanaka was run out and he
needed 19 off the last over.