Afghanistan defeat Sri Lanka in close Rising Stars game
Sri Lanka ‘A’ suffered a 3-wicket defeat at the hands of Afghanistan ‘A’ in their opening game of the ACC Asia Cup Rising Stars T20 Tournament in the evening at Doha, Qatar yesterday. Electing to bat first, allrounder Dunith Wellalage-led Sri Lanka ‘A’ suffered an early setback, but the skipper himself anchored to help his team post 170-9, a target which Afghanistan ‘A’ reached losing seven wickets and a delivery to spare.
Sri Lanka lost four quick wickets at 39 by the fourth over. Opener Vishen Halambage was the first to be dismissed at 29, but by that time he had blasted 28 runs off 13 balls, inclusive of three fours and two sixes, showing promise of a bigger total. Soon after his departure Lasith Croospulle, Nishan Madushka and Sahan Arachchige returned to the dressing room without contributing much.
Skipper Wellalage joined in Nuwanidu Fernando to restructure the innings by a stand of 66 runs for the fifth wicket, before the skipper fell to spinner AM Ghazanfar. Wellalage had scored 33 off 29 balls, hitting five fours. Fernando followed next as the sixth wicket, also to Ghazanfar, after making 39 off 35 deliveries with four boundaries.
But it was allrounder Milan Rathnayake who made the difference when Sri Lanka ‘A’ was down at 126-6 in the 16th over. He hit 41 runs, in just 19 deliveries with four boundaries and three sixes to help Sri Lanka reach a bigger total. Right-arm paceman Bilal Sami did most of the early damage, claiming four scalps, while Ghazanfar claimed three wickets, that of Halambage, Fernando and Wellalage.
Afghanistan ‘A’ too faced an early setback, but an 84-run stand for the second wicket between Imran Mir (34) and Sediqullah Atal (54) frustrated the Sri Lankans, who managed to strike midway. Spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth struck when needed, claiming three wickets, while Milan Rathnayake, Isitha Wijesundara, Wellalage and Sahan Arachchige each grabbed a wicket. But the Afghans managed to find a saviour in Darwish Rasooli (32), who gradually took his team towards the target, before Nangeyalia Kharote (15) and Qais Ahmed (16n.o.) put the finishing touches.
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