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[Saba Sports News] Before the second T20I in the ongoing series between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, tension rose outside the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, the venue for the match, as eager fans attempted to gain entry to watch the game live. Despite Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announcing that tickets for the match were completely sold out, frustration among the fans was palpable. A video showing crowds trying to breach the stadium barriers went viral on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting the chaotic scenes outside the venue.
In the series so far, Sri Lanka has shown dominance over Afghanistan across formats. They secured a victory in the sole Test, swept the three-game ODI series, and started the T20I series with a win. The first T20I match, also held at the Dambulla Stadium on February 17, saw Sri Lanka batting first but struggling initially with both openers dismissed early.
Contributions from Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, and a significant 67 from Wanindu Hasaranga led Sri Lanka to a total of 160 runs. Despite a strong performance from Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran, who scored an unbeaten 67, Sri Lanka managed to clinch a narrow four-run victory, taking an early lead in the series.