How Did Mendis and Thushara Lead Sri Lanka to Victory Over Afghanistan?

Abu Dhabi, Sep 18 (NationPress) Nuwan Thushara delivered an impressive performance, taking 4 wickets for 18 runs, while wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis showcased his skill with a stellar unbeaten 74 runs off 52 balls. This led Sri Lanka to a convincing six-wicket victory against Afghanistan in their concluding Group B match of the Asia Cup held at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

This outcome secured the advancement of both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to the Super Fours, while Afghanistan, which reached the semi-finals of last year’s T20 World Cup, faced elimination from the tournament. Chasing a target of 170 runs on a pitch that provided both grip and bounce, Sri Lanka made what seemed a challenging target appear straightforward, largely due to Kusal’s steady innings that included ten boundaries.

Sri Lanka’s innings commenced positively but soon encountered difficulties. Pathum Nissanka was dismissed for just six runs after pulling an Azmatullah Omarzai delivery directly to the short fine leg. Kamil Mishara followed suit, chipping a ball from Mohammad Nabi to extra cover. At 52 for 2 after the powerplay, the match was delicately poised.

However, Kusal ensured the innings remained stable. He reached his half-century off 40 balls with a sweep, matching Nissanka’s record of 17 T20I half-centuries. His knack for rotating the strike and finding gaps maintained Sri Lanka’s momentum, despite losing wickets at the other end.

The dismissal of Kusal Perera, caught behind off Mujeeb Ur Rahman, briefly reignited Afghanistan’s hopes, but Charith Asalanka's late dab to backward point brought Sri Lanka to 101 for 3, confirming their spot in the Super Fours. Asalanka was dismissed shortly after, and Kamindu Mendis narrowly avoided a run-out when Rashid Khan, attempting a direct hit, injured his back and had to leave the field.

Kusal and Kamindu concluded the chase with calculated aggression, striking boundaries off Noor and Fazalhaq Farooqi before Kusal sealed the victory with a powerful cut and pull through mid-wicket off Mujeeb for boundaries. Afghanistan’s bowlers were also culpable for conceding runs at critical moments, leading to their early exit from the competition despite Nabi's remarkable performance of 60 runs off just 22 balls.

Brief scores:

Afghanistan 169/8 in 20 overs (Mohammad Nabi 60, Rashid Khan 24; Nuwan Thushara 4-18, Dasun Shanaka 1-29) lost to Sri Lanka 171/4 in 18.4 overs (Kusal Mendis 74 not out, Kusal Perera 28; Azmatullah Omarzai 1-10, Noor Ahmad 1-37) by six wickets