Sri Lanka 308 for six (Asalanka 97*, Mendis 61, Omarzai 3-56) vs Afghanistan
Sri Lanka put up 308 for six on the again of half-centuries from 4 batters within the second ODI in opposition to Afghanistan, however it was additionally an innings aided by a careless show within the subject by Afghanistan.
Anchoring the innings although was a pair of century partnerships – the primary between Mendis and Samarawickrama, the second Liyanage and Asalanka – earlier than the ultimate Asalanka-Hasaranga flourish put an accent on proceedings as Sri Lanka scored 96 runs within the last 10 overs.
Azmatullah Omarzai was the choose of the Afghan bowlers with figures of three for 56, however Fazalhaq Farooqi will really feel onerous completed not to have extra to his title with a minimum of three catches spilled off his bowling. Farooqi together with Noor Ahmad and Qais Ahmad ended with a wicket apiece.
Having received the toss and elected to bat, Nissanka regarded in good contact as he had left off placing three boundaries in his 17-ball 18, however his onslaught was minimize brief when he got here down late on one full and straight from Omarzai. Regardless of it heading into the middle of middle, Nissanka finally regarded to overview the lbw name, however thankfully for him and Sri Lanka he failed to accomplish that throughout the 15-second window.
An out-of-sorts Avishka fell a couple of overs later, edging a back-of-a-length ball angling throughout, straight to level – starkly paying homage to his three dismissals within the latest sequence in opposition to Zimbabwe.
This introduced collectively Mendis and Samarawickrama, who rebuilt with boundaries solely serving as an avenue to launch the rising stress. Mendis was additionally given an early reprieve, a gentle likelihood spilled by Gulbadin Naib at brief midwicket.
However simply as they regarded to up the scoring, Samarawickrama lobbed one to mid-off stationed on the sting of the circle. One introduced two as Mendis pulled one straight to deep sq. leg the very subsequent over.
Out of the blue Sri Lanka have been halfway by way of the twenty ninth over with two new batters on the crease, and so Asalanka and Liyanage proceeded to rebuild as soon as extra. With the run fee hovering across the five-over mark the pair took the sport in direction of the fortieth over earlier than lastly switching gears.
Each Asalanka and Liyanage took turns going after the bowling, the latter even mentioning his fifty with a lofted six down the bottom. He fell one ball later, caught at long-on trying to go massive as soon as extra, however Asalanka hung round to guarantee Sri Lanka had a aggressive whole to defend.
