SL square ODI series with 132-run win over Afghanistan

HAMBANTOTA: Quick bowler Dushmantha Chameera stormed back into the Sri Lankan team to power their 132-run win over Afghanistan at Hambantota on Sunday and square the three-match one-day international series. Having amassed a target of 324, the Sri Lankan bowlers skittled out the tourists for 191 inside 43 overs for their biggest win in ODIs over Afghanistan. Chameera, returning to the side after a seven-month layoff after ankle surgery, bowled a couple of hostile spells to finish with two for 18. Sri Lanka will be buoyed by the return of their main strike bowler, as they head to Zimbabwe straight after the series to play World Cup qualifiers. “We are very happy that Chameera is back: injury kept him out for a while but I am glad he is firing on all cylinders," skipper Dasun Shanaka said.

“Dimuth Karunaratne is back as well, and he adds more stability to the batting – and obviously he’s very experienced. These are good signs looking forward for the World Cup qualifiers." There are no such problems for Afghanistan, who have already qualified for the World Cup later this year in India. Chameera was well backed up by part-time off-spinner Dhananjaya de Silva, who finished with three wickets, including first-match hero Ibrahim Zardan. Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga polished up the tail claiming three for 42. Zardan, who had top scored in the first ODI with 98, was again amongst the runs with 54.

But the scoreboard pressure got to him as he edged an attempted cut shot that was well taken by Kusal Mendis behind the stumps. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi top scored with 57 runs, before being trapped leg before by de Silva. After that, there was little resistance by the Afghan batters as they lost six wickets for 23 runs. “I don’t think that was our best performance, we were bit sloppy on the field," Shahidi said after the match. "We have got one more game, and we will try and bounce back”. Sri Lanka came into the game making four changes, having lost the first ODI by six wickets on Friday. Openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka added 82 runs for the first wicket, with Karunaratne on a comeback trial doing well to post 52 off 62 balls.

Score Board Sri Lanka won the toss Sri Lanka Innings

Nissanka lbw b Nabi 43 Karunaratne lbw b Noor 52

Mendis c Rahmanullah b Fareed 78 Samarawickrama b Rahman 44

Asalanka lbw b Nabi 6 De Silva not out 29

Shanaka (c) c †Gurbaz b Fareed 23

Wanindu Hasaranga not out 29

Extras: (b 6, lb 3, w 10) 19

Total: 50 Ov (RR: 6.46) 323/6

Did not bat: Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha

Fall of wickets: 1-82, 2-110, 3-198, 4-213, 5-254, 6-288

Bowling: Fazalhaq Farooqi 7-0-44-0, Azmatullah Omarzai 5-0-48-0, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 10-0-39-1, Fareed Ahmad 9-0-61-2, Mohammad Nabi 10-0-52-2, Noor Ahmad 9-0-70-1

Afghanistan Innings

Rahmanullah c Mendis b Chameera 2

Ibrahim c Mendis b Silva 54

Rahmat lbw b Shanaka 36

Hashmatullah (c) lbw b DM de Silva 57

Najibullah c Nissanka b Silva 2

Mohammad c Mendis b Chameera 2

Omarzai c Shanaka b Theekshana 28

Noor b PWH de Silva 3

Mujeeb lbw b De Silva 0

Fareed b PWH de Silva 0

Fazalhaq Farooqi not out 0

Extras: (lb 2, w 5) 7

Total: 42.1 Ov (RR: 4.52) 191

Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-62, 3-146, 4-157, 5-160, 6-160, 7-169, 8-169, 9-191, 10-191

Bowling: Kasun Rajitha 5-0-26-0, Dushmantha Chameera 7-0-18-2, Maheesh Theekshana 7.1-0-35-1, Dasun Shanaka 4-0-29-1, Wanindu Hasaranga 9-2-42-3, Dhananjaya de Silva 10-0-39-3

Match Result: SL won by 132 runs

Player of match: Dhananjaya de Silva

Umpires: Hannibal, Gough