Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan by 34 runs in 7th match of ICC World Cup

Speed Post News Network

Patna : Sri Lanka defeated Afghanistan by 34 runs in the 7th match of ICC World Cup at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, UK, on June 4, 2019, night, with fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep taking 4/31 in 9 overs and Lasith Malinga 3/39 in 6.4 overs. Fast bowlers Isuru Udana and Thisara Perera took one wicket each. Afghanistan were set a target of 187 runs in 41 overs under DLS following the rain but were all out for 152.

Earlier batting first, Sri Lanka were all out for 201 in 36.5 overs with openers Kusal Perera (wk) and captain Dimuth Karunaratne scoring 78 and 30 runs respectively while Lahiru Thirimanne scored 25. Afghanistan had won the toss and opted to bowl. Nuwan Pradeep was declared Player of the Match.

Batting first, Sri Lanka were 92/1 in 13.1 overs but collapsed to be all out for only 201 with Afghanistan spinner Mohammad Nabi taking 4/30 in 9 overs while fellow spinner Rashid Khan took 2/17 in 7.5 overs. Kusal Mendis fell to Nabi for 2. Angelo Mathews also fell to Nabi for a duck. Dhananjaya de Silva fell to Hamid Hassan for zero while Thisara Perera was run out for 2. Isuru Udana fell to Dawlat Zadran for 10. Fast bowler Suranga Lakmal remained unbeaten on 15.

Chasing a target of 187, Afghanistan never appeared to be in race losing their first four wickets with only 57 runs on the board. Najibullah Zadran was the top scorer for Afghanistan scoring 43 in 56 balls with 6 fours. He was run out. Opener Hazratullah Zazai scored 30 in 25 balls with 3 fours and a six while captain Gulbadin Naib scored 23. Afghanistan were all out for 152 in 32.4 overs.