ICC T20 World Cup 2022: Dhananjaya de Silva ensures easy SL win over AFG to stay in semis contention
Synopsis
On Tuesday, Sri Lanka secured an easy six-wicket win over Afghanistan in ICC T20 World Cup 2022 Super 12 clash in Brisbane. With this triumph, Lanka narrowly stays in semis contention.
Former world champion Sri Lanka stayed in contention for the semis after securing a comfortable six-wicket win over Afghanistan in the Super 12 of the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup at the Gabba in Brisbane on Tuesday. Lanka has risen to the third spot with four points and a game in hand, while it is a point behind second-placed Australia and group leader New Zealand. While the hosts have played four games, the Kiwis have played three. Dhananjaya de Silva was the star for Lanka, playing a superb knock of an unbeaten 66. At the same time, Twitter was rejoicing in the Lions' victory.
After winning the toss, Afghanistan opted to bat, as openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz (28) and Usman Ghani (27) put on a 42-run opening stand before the former fell in the seventh. Thereon, there was a lack of effective partnerships as it could manage 144/8, with the openers being the top scorers in the innings.
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For Lanka, leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga scalped three wickets, while he was also the most economical. In reply, Pathum Nissanka (10) fell in the second over of the PowerPlay with 12 runs on the board before a 34-run partnership between opener Kusal Mendis (25) and de Silva. The former was dismissed in the eighth, while a 54-run stand ensued between de Silva and Charith Asalanka (19).
Asalanka departed in the 14th at the score of 100/3 before another vital 42-run partnership between de Silva and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (18). As the latter fell in the 18th, the Lankans were nearly through and got the job done by six wickets, with nine balls to spare. For the Afghans, spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan grabbed a couple of wickets each, while the former was economical, as they were knocked out of the semis race.
Brief scores: AFG 144/8 (Gurbaz- 28; Hasaranga- 3/13) lost to SL 148/4 in 18.3 overs (de Silva- 66*; Mujeeb- 2/24) by six wickets.
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