Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup stat attack: Lankans' record T20I chase in Sharjah, Gurbaz's fifty and more

Sri Lanka avenged their first-round defeat in the 2022 Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates, as they kickstarted the Super Four stage on a positive note, beating Afghanistan by four wickets in Sharjah on Saturday.

The result was a complete reverse of the first match of Asia Cup 2022 when Afghanistan had registered a dominant eight-wicket win on 27 August in Dubai.

Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to field in Sharjah. Maheesha Theekshana (1/29), Asitha Fernando (1/34), and Dilshan Madushanka (2/37) were all among the wicket for Sri Lanka as Afghanistan posted 175/6 from 20 overs. The highlight of Afghanistan’s innings was Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 45-ball 84, who amassed four 4s and six 6s during his knock. He was also involved in a 93-run stand with Ibrahim Zadran (40).

Openers Pathum Nissanka (35) and Kusal Mendis (36) forged a 62-run stand for the first wicket in Sri Lanka’s chase, but the former was dismissed by Naveen-ul-Haq in the seventh over. It was Danushka Gunathilaka (33) and Bhanuka Rajapaksha (31) who stabilised Sri Lanka’s innings later on, to eventually grab the win with five balls remaining. Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Naveen picked two wickets apiece while Rashid Khan and skipper Mohammad Nabi scalped one each.

With the win, Sri Lanka now have two points under their belt with two games (against India and Pakistan) in hand.

Let’s take a look at some interesting statistics from the match:

—Sri Lanka chased a target of 176 runs in their win. It is the highest-chased total by any team in a T20I against Afghanistan. Just last month, Ireland had successfully chased down 169 against Afghanistan in a T20I in Belfast, which now stands usurped.

—Sri Lanka’s last two T20Is have been noteworthy. On Thursday, they completed the highest T20I run-chase in Dubai (184 against Bangladesh), and now, the highest T20I run-chase in Sharjah (176 against Afghanistan) on Saturday.

—Rahmanullah Gurbaz (84) registered the joint-fastest fifty by an Afghanistan batter in T20Is, reaching the milestone in just 22 balls. Hazratullah Zazai and Najibullah Zadran are the others to have scored a T20I fifty in 22 balls.

—With figures of 1/39 from four overs against Sri Lanka, Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan registered his most expensive figures in the United Arab Emirates.

—This was Afghanistan’s first loss in T20Is after posting a total of 170+ while batting first.

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