SL VS AFG ODI

Right then, that is it from the game. The series is now leveled to 1-1 and we have a decider game coming up. It will be on 7th of June, Wednesday at 10 am IST (4.30 am GMT). It is set up to be an enticing battle so do join us for the build-up a bit earlier. Till then, goodbye and cheers!

Dasun Shanaka says the difference between the two games was nothing but just that we executed the plans better than the last game and the wicket was a bit better today and when we batted first we had a slight advantage because of winning the toss and batting first here. He adds that the batting in the last 10 overs was special today and they did not play on such pitches early on and here the pitch was really good and the ground staff must be credited for it today. He closes by saying that batting Hasranga and himself batted well in the end and the bowlers backed it up well. In the end he says that the team will be totally on the selectors when we prepare for the Qualifiers but they all have the same aim and that is to qualify for the ICC World Cup.

Hashmatullah Shahidi says the main point was the last 10 overs as that hurt us the most. He adds that sometimes the team doesn't perform according to the plan and the team suffered because of this today. He also adds that the team is improving day by day and a result here and there doesn't affect them as a unit. He closes by saying that the surface got really difficult to bat in the second half and the team fell out of contest in the second half of the game.

Dhananjaya de Silva says that the team has done well he feels delighted to be contributing in the winning cause. He adds that the surface is getting slower and slower as the game progressed and this helped in scalping the wickets.

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Earlier in the game, Sri Lankan batters got off to a flier and it was Kusal Mendis who was the star of the show. He scored 78 runs. Dimuth Karunaratne scored a half century and they posted a mammoth total of 323 runs. The Afghan bowlers struggled with their lines and lengths. Mohammad Nabi was the pick of the bowlers for them.

Afghanistan did well at the start but lost their momentum after the loss of Ibrahim Zadran. Ibrahim Zadran and Hashmatullah Shahidi scored a half-century each for their side. Seven of the Afghan batters lost their wicket for a single digit. They failed to deliver with the bat and the ball and they will look to come back stronger in their next game.

Their bowlers kept perfect lines and lengths at the start. They struggled a bit to pick wickets at the start but once Ibrahim Zadran fell, wickets kept on tumbling for the visitors and there was no turning back. Wanindu Hasaranga and Dhananjaya de Silva picked three wickets each. Dushmantha Chameera chipped in with a couple whilst Maheesh Theekshana and Dasun Shanaka had one in their kitty.

Well, well, what a resounding performance this has been from the home side. They have bounced back in style and leveled the series to 1-1.  After putting a big total on the board, they made sure they had to win this and boy, they won the game by a huge margin of 132 runs.

OUT! In the air and taken. Tossed up in middle, Azmatullah Omarzai looks to go downtown but ends up lofting in high in the air towards the long off fence as Dasun Shanaka makes no mistake and collects this catch cleanly. Sri Lanka win this and level the series.

Fuller one in middle, Fazalhaq Farooqi pushes this back to the bowler for no run.

Fuller one in middle, Fazalhaq Farooqi defends this and keeps this out.

No run.Tossed up in middle, Fazalhaq Farooqi defends this off the front foot.

Fuller one in middle, Fazalhaq Farooqi defends this back towards the bowler.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Fuller one turning in towards the batter, Fareed Ahmad looks to drive this but gets beaten and the ball has disturbed the timber.

Fuller one in middle, Fareed Ahmad defends this off the front foot.