In the 30th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Afghanistan clinched a notable victory over Sri Lanka by seven wickets, successfully chasing down a target of 242 runs.
Azmatullah Omarzai played an outstanding unbeaten inning, scoring 73 runs off 63 balls, while skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi contributed significantly with an unbeaten 58 off 74 balls, propelling the team to reach 242/3 in 45.2 overs.
During the Afghan chase, Ibrahim Zadran managed to secure 39 runs off 57 balls before being dismissed by Madushanka, whereas Rahmat Shah lost his wicket to Rajitha after scoring 62 off 74 balls. Unfortunately, Rahmanullah Gurbaz was bowled out by Madushanka without adding to the scoreboard.
Following this victory, Afghanistan has risen to the 5th position on the points table, surpassing Sri Lanka and Pakistan. This win marked their third triumph in six matches during the tournament.
In the initial stages of the game, Afghanistan won the toss and elected to field first.
Sri Lanka’s batting performance resulted in a total score of 241, with the team being all out in 49.3 overs at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium.
Notably, Rahmanullah Gurbaz replaced Ikram Alikhil in the early overs of the Sri Lankan innings and swiftly made an impact, securing the wicket of Dimuth Karunaratne in the 6th over.
Despite a 50-run partnership between Pathum Nissanka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa for the second wicket, the Afghan bowlers effectively countered Sri Lanka’s efforts.
Nissanka was dismissed for 36 in the 12th over, followed by Rajapaksa, who returned to the pavilion after scoring 18 runs in the 16th over.
Although Samarawickrama and de Silva forged a 50-run partnership for the third wicket, Samarawickrama departed for 32 in the 30th over.
De Silva contributed 51 runs before being dismissed in the 43rd over, after which Sri Lanka lost their remaining seven wickets for just 57 runs, concluding their innings at 241 in 49.3 overs.
The Afghan bowlers displayed an impressive performance throughout the game, with Rashid Khan claiming 4 wickets for 37 runs and Mujeeb Ur Rahman securing 3 wickets for 41 runs.
