SL scrape through to Super4s to break Afghan hearts

Lahore, Sep 5: Mohammad Nabi’s game changing 65 off 32 balls came to nothing as Sri Lanka pulled off a thrilling two-run win over an audacious Afghanistan to qualify for the Super4s of the Asia Cup, here on Tuesday.
Kusal Mendis’ high-quality 92 had pushed Sri Lanka to 291 for eight at the Gadaffi Stadium.
Due to their inferior run rate, Afghanistan needed to chase down 292 in 37.1 overs and Nabi put them on the cusp of a famous win by smashing the fastest half-century by an Afghanistan batter in ODIs.
In what turned out to be a riveting finish, the qualifying equation came down to 15 runs needed off seven balls and Rashid Khan increased the heart rate on either side of the dressing rooms by finding three fours off left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage in the 37th over.
At that tense moment, Afghanistan needed three runs off the first ball of the 38th over with two wickets in hand.
However, Mujeeb Zadran’s wicket on the first ball of the over caused heartbreak in the Afghanistan camp with the disappointment written all over the players’ faces in the dressing room.
Such was the level of their dejection was that they were not alert enough to know that Afghanistan still had a chance if they hit a six of the following three balls of the 38th over.
Rashid was left stranded at the other end with Fazalhaq Farooqi trapped in front by Dhananjaya de Silva.
Following the close finish, Sri Lanka became the second team to qualify for Super4s from Group B after Bangladesh. (PTI)