Innings Sri Lanka 381 for 3 (Nissanka 210*, Avishka 88, Fareed 2-79) vs Afghanistan
The guests, who had opted to go together with a four-strong seam assault, had been left to rue their choice to bowl first having gained the toss, with situations proving ideally suited for batting. After a subdued begin within the opening 5 through which simply 22 runs had been scored, Nissanka started to let free.
There was a subdued interval by way of the center overs when Mohammed Nabi was rifling by way of his overs, however initially and on the dying the Afghan bowlers had been at Nissanka’s mercy.
Azmatullah Omarzai was the primary to really feel the warmth, taken for back-to-back boundaries by way of midwicket after which cowl. Two overs later Fareed Ahmad was taken for 19, inclusive of two fours and a six – the latter off a free hit. Ahmad would go for an extra 17 in his subsequent over, Avishka doing the brunt of the injury on that event, as Sri Lanka raced to 90 by the tip of the tenth over.
The scoring would taper from there on, the occasional flurry of boundaries serving to maintain the scoring fee hovering across the seven an over mark. It could take a scorching seize from Hashmatullah Shahidi at backward level to convey an finish to the opening stand, as Avishka flayed a large one onerous to his proper.
Kusal Mendis’ entry would see extra of the identical, as he scrounged round for a 31-ball 16 earlier than skying a miscued shot after coming down the monitor. The entry of Sadeera Samarawickrama, halfway by way of the thirty sixth over, although could be the catalyst for Sri Lanka to shift gears, as his capability to rotate strike and discover boundaries dovetailed completely with Nissanka, who was starting to see the ball greater with each stroke.
Their stand of 121 would come off simply 71 deliveries and would scale up within the ultimate 10 overs. This era would see Sri Lanka ransack 120 runs for the lack of only one wicket. Nissanka alone would account for 76 of these.
Having earlier introduced up his century with a single eased to deep cowl, he would convey up his 150 with a double previous backward level. However these milestones had been surrounded by belligerence.
Noor Ahmad was slog-swept twice in an over, with the wind, over deep midwicket. Fazalhaq Farooqi was clobbered down the bottom, flicked over sq. leg, heaved over deep midwicket and paddled behind sq.. And when all else failed Afghanistan turned again to Fareed, however Nissanka wouldn’t err.
Having failed to get away a string off large Fareed yorkers two overs prior, Nissanka would squeeze the primary such try within the ultimate over previous backward level to convey up his double ton. Two balls later he would swing one excessive over sq. leg after which he would crash a drive to deep additional cowl to end the innings – as he was applauded off the pitch by teammates and opponents alike.
