Afghanistan emerged victorious against Sri Lanka in an ICC Men's World Cup match, successfully chasing down a target of 242 runs. Rahmat Shah, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Hashmatullah Shahidi were the standout performers for Afghanistan, leading their team to a remarkable 7-wicket win with 28 balls remaining.

In their pursuit of 242 runs, Afghanistan encountered early setbacks as they lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz without scoring any runs in the very first over. Despite this, Rahmat Shah (62), skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (58*), and Azmatullah Omarzai (73*) played memorable innings. Their remarkable efforts secured a seven-wicket victory for Afghanistan over Sri Lanka. During their innings, Sri Lanka's Dilshan Madushanka claimed two wickets, and Kasun Rajitha took one.

Sri Lanka batted first in the match and posted a below-par total of 241 runs, with their last wicket falling at 242. Although openers Pathum Nissanka (46), Kusal Mendis (39), and Sadeera Samarawickrama (36) made promising starts, they failed to capitalize as Afghanistan's bowlers took wickets at regular intervals.

Fazalhaq Farooqi was Afghanistan's most successful bowler, taking four wickets for 34 runs. The bowling effort was a collective one, with Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2/38), Azmatullah Omarzai (1/37), and Rashid Khan (1/50) also contributing significantly.

Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka, who had been in great form with consecutive fifties in the World Cup, was dismissed for 46 in this match. It was the first time he had been dismissed for less than fifty in the tournament. Nissanka's run included scores of 51 against Pakistan, 61 against Australia, 54 against the Netherlands, and an unbeaten 77 against England.

Both Afghanistan and Sri Lanka find themselves with slim chances of making it to the semi-finals in the tournament, with each team having garnered only 4 points from their five matches. Sri Lanka currently holds the 5th position on the points table due to a better run rate, while Afghanistan is positioned just below them in 6th place. Afghanistan's confidence is soaring after their convincing victory over neighbors Pakistan. Their spin bowlers, key to their success, delivered exceptional performances in the last game. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, is riding high on confidence following their emphatic win over the reigning world champions. The Sri Lankan bowling unit, which had struggled to contain runs in previous matches, found new vigor in their previous game, largely thanks to pacer Lahiru Kumara's outstanding performance.

Picture Courtesy: The Indian Express