In the third and final ODI match of the Afghanistan tour of Sri Lanka 2023, the hosts secured a comfortable 9-wicket victory at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium. With this win, the Islanders clinched the series, having previously won the seco🍸nd match by 13🌜2 runs.
Batting first, Afghanistan’s innings got off to a shaky start as they struggled to build partnerships and lost wickets at regular intervals. The tourists were eventually bundled out for just 116 runs in 22.2 overs. Experienced campaigner Mohammad Nabi top-scored for Afghanistan with 23 runs off 23 deliveries, while Gulbadin Naib contributed 20 runs off 21 balls.
For the Lankans, Dushmantha Chameera was the standout bowler, picking up 4 wickets for 63 runs in his 9 overs. Similarly, Lahiru Kumara and Wanindu Hasaranga also made valuable contrib🤡utions, taking 2 and 3 wickets respectively.
Chasing the paltry target, Sri Lanka cruised to victory by losing just one wicket. Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne formed a solid opening partnership, with Nissanka scoring a brilliant half-century, 51 runs off 34 deliveries, including 8 boundaries and෴ 2 sixes. Karunaratne also impressed with a well-made 56 runs off 45 balls, comprising 7 fours. Sri Lanka reached the target in just 16 overs, securing a comꦿprehensive win.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
🎉🏆👏 Congratulations to Dushmantha ܫChameera for winning the Man of the Series award! 🎉
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC)
Good comeback from the team after the loss in the first game.
Chameera and Kumara bowled well to clinch the series👌
Let’s c🅘arry the momentum to the qualifiers and make it back to India🤞— Lasith Malinga (@malinga_ninety9)
Dushmantha Chameera; A fragile priceless gem🔹🔹🔹 That's the tweet!
&md𒈔ash; Aravinthan Arunthavanathan (@Cricket_decoded)
Congratuওlations to and the team for coming from behind to beat Afghanistan 2to 1. This last happened in 2014, when Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan.
— Roshan Abeysinghe (@RoshanCricket)
Congratulations for the series win! Comprehensive & clinical performance in the last 2 games. The way the entire team came back after loosing the 1st game full marks to the entire team including the support staff! Roll on to the qualꦺifiers 👍🏽
— Farveez Maharoof (@farveezmaharoof)
✤Biggest win against Afghanistan in ODI🔯s (by balls remaining):
204 – SL🇱🇰 at Hambantota, today
160 – ZIM🇿🇼 at Bulawayo, 2015
142 – NETH🇳🇱 at Sharjah, 2012— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats)
Lowest ODI totals at Hambantota 🏟️
112/10 – Kenya 🇰🇪 vs PAK, 2011
116/10 – Afghanistan 🇦🇫 vs SL, 2023 ***
122/10 – Canada 🇨🇦 vs SL, 2011— Thurunu Jayasiri (@ThurunuJ)
Dushmantha Chameera ꦿwon the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards.🐻
— Sri Lanka Tweet 🇱🇰 (@SriLankaTweet)
Sri Lanka seal the three-match series 2-1:
— betvisa68.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
Back to back fifties for Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka's quickfire fifty seals the series win against Afghanistan as Sri Lanka chased 117 in 16 overs!
— Akhila Seneviratne (@AkhilaSene97)
C H A M P I O N S 🏆
— DANUSHKA ARAVINDA (@DanuskaAravinda)
//twitter.com/Sakun_SD/status/1666361331853963266
