In the 2023 men’s ODI World Cup, Afghanistan finds themselves on the brink of securing their third win, thanks to a brilliant performance from their bowlers that restricted Sri Lanka to a modest 241 runs. Despite Sri Lanka’s decent start, midway through the innings, a double strike by Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman turned the tide in Afghanistan’s favor. Fazalhaq Farooqi, making a strong comeback, further compounded Sri Lanka’s troubles with a superb four-wicket haul, ultimately forcing them to settle for a below-par score on a pitch that held no hidden challenges.
Afghanistan’s bowlers displayed their prowess from the very beginning, denying Sri Lanka even a single boundary in the first five overs. Dimuth Karunaratne, who was playing his first game of the World Cup, managed to break the boundary drought with an elegantly timed cover drive. However, Farooqi promptly dismissed him by trapping him leg-before-wicket. Pathum Nissanka, in fine form for Sri Lanka, eventually found his rhythm, collecting boundaries off four successive overs.
Skipper Kusal Mendis, who had a sluggish start, scoring just 6 runs off 17 balls at one point, finally broke free with a well-placed cut through backward point off Naveen-ul-Haq. The partnership between the two batsmen exceeded fifty runs for the second wicket, and they seemed well set until Nissanka’s dismissal for 46. However, Sadeera Samarawickrama provided Sri Lanka with much-needed momentum by smashing Azmatullah Omarzai for a couple of boundaries in a single over.
As the two batsmen focused on rotating the strike while occasionally finding the boundary, Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman struck, claiming two crucial wickets in a span of four deliveries across two overs. Kusal Mendis was dismissed for 39 after getting a top edge, and Samarawickrama was trapped leg-before-wicket for 36. With the loss of these key wickets, Sri Lanka was forced into a rebuilding phase, and matters worsened when a struggling Dhananjaya de Silva was bamboozled by a Rashid Khan googly.
Angelo Matthews, coming in at No.7, had little to contribute as wickets continued to fall. Charith Asalanka miscued a shot, and Dushmantha Chameera was caught short of his crease due to a direct hit. What was once 134/2 for Sri Lanka quickly turned into 185/7, with Afghanistan firmly in control. Maheesh Theekshana took charge of scoring in the latter stages, supported by Matthews, who added a quick 26-ball 23, before Farooqi wrapped up the innings with more wickets.
In summary, Sri Lanka managed to post a total of 241 in 49.3 overs, with Pathum Nissanka being the top scorer with 46 runs. Fazalhaq Farooqi shone with the ball, taking 4 wickets for 34 runs, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman contributed with 2 wickets for 38 runs in Afghanistan’s impressive bowling display. Afghanistan is now eyeing their third victory in the 2023 men’s ODI World Cup, and the match promises to be an exciting contest.
Disclaimer: The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.
