Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan : 5 talking points in 1st ODI
Afghnaistan registered 60 runs win over Sri Lanka and lead the series with 1-0.
Here the 5 talking points in 1st ODI
- Ibrahim Zadran Hundred
Afghanistan opening batsman Ibrahim Zadran scored a magnificent 106 runs with a healthy strike rate. This was his second ODI century in the six innings he has played. Most importantly, he formed partnerships for the first and second wickets with Gurbaz and Rahmat. These two partnerships set the tone for Afghanistan’s 294.
- Najibullah Zadran Cameo
After the dismissal of Rahmat Shah, left-handed batsman Najibullah Zadran came to the crease and played a little cameo of an innings. He scored 42 runs in 25 balls with five fours and a six. This inning helped Afghanistan increase their run rate.
- Pathum Nissanka classy knock
Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka played a classy knock under pressure. He scored 85 runs in 83 balls with 10 boundaries. Even though Sri Lanka lost wickets regularly, Nissanka kept Sri Lanka in the hunt and maintained the run rate. However, unfortunately, he was dismissed just 15 runs short of his second ODI hundred.
- Gulbadin Naib’s 3 wickets
Gulbadin Naib, an Afghanistan all-rounder, took three crucial wickets at critical times in the game. He took Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, and skipper Dasun Shanaka, respectively. Most importantly, he claimed those wickets when they were trying to build a stable partnership with the well-set Pathum Nissanka.
- Wanindu Hasaranga fighting knock
When Sri Lanka were 137 for 5, super star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga came out to bat. However, Wanindu Hasaranga played a gem of an inning, keeping Sri Lanka’s hopes alive. He hit 22 runs against Mohammad Nabi in one over and put the pressure back on Afghanistan. Wanidu Hasaranga scored 66 runs in 46 balls with 10 fours and two sixes. Unfortunately, he was unable to seal Sri Lanka’s victory due to a wicket loss at the other end.
