In a thrilling encounter in Dambulla, Sri Lanka secured victory against Afghanistan by a slender margin of four runs in the opening T20I match. Wanindu Hasaranga’s dynamic all-round performance, coupled with Matheesha Pathirana’s brilliant bowling spell, guided Sri Lanka to a hard-fought win.
Sri Lanka started positively but lost wickets at regular intervals. Despite the early setbacks, Hasaranga’s aggressive batting propelled the hosts to a competitive total of 160 runs. His fiery knock of 67 runs off just 32 balls provided crucial momentum to the innings.
In response, Afghanistan displayed resilience with Ibrahim Zadran leading the charge with a stellar 67 not out. However, timely breakthroughs from Sri Lanka’s bowlers, especially Pathirana, restricted Afghanistan’s progress. Despite Zadran’s valiant efforts, Afghanistan fell short of the target by four runs.
Key Moments:
– Hasaranga’s explosive fifty and his partnership with Samarawickrama bolstered Sri Lanka’s innings.
– Pathirana’s four-wicket haul dented Afghanistan’s chase and tilted the match in Sri Lanka’s favor.
– Ibrahim Zadran’s defiant knock kept Afghanistan’s hopes alive, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers held their nerve in the crucial final overs.
With this victory, Sri Lanka takes a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, setting the stage for an exciting contest in the upcoming matches.