Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka World Cup 2023 Highlights: Powered by fifties from Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai, Afghanistan powered to a third win at this World Cup, beating Sri Lanka by seven wickets. Left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi on his return to the side has been outstanding. His four-wicket haul has restricted Sri Lanka to 241 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
Pathum Nissanka was the top scorer for Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka with 46. Angelo Mathews and Mahesh Theekshana did chip in with cameos at the end however, was not enough to take them over 250. For Sri Lanka, Dilshan Madushanka took two wickets and Kasun Rajitha picked one wicket. Sri Lankans scored a below-par 241 all out against Afghanistan in their World Cup match and lost all their wickets at 242.
Invited to bat, opener Pathum Nissanka (46), Kusal Mendis (39), and Sadeera Samarawickrama (36) all got starts but failed to capitalize as Afghan bowlers managed to take wickets regularly. Fazalhaq Farooqi (4/34) snapped four wickets to emerge as the most successful bowler for Afghanistan. It was a collective effort as Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2/38), Azmatullah Omarzai (1/37) Rashid Khan (1/50) all were among the important wickets.
However, Maheesh Theekshana (29) and Angelo Mathews (23) added a valuable 45 off 42 balls for the eighth wicket to provide them the late momentum. Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka’s impressive run of successive World Cup fifties came to an end when he was out for 46 against Afghanistan in Pune on Monday.