‌SL vs AFG | Twitter reacts to Matthews all-round prowess as Sri Lanka seal series with massive triumph

‌SL vs AFG | Twitter reacts to Matthews all-round prowess as Sri Lanka seal series with massive triumph

SportsCafe Desk

By SportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Sri Lanka take an unassaisable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan as Sadeera Samarawickrama and Angelo Mathews steered them to an above-par total. New ball spells from Binura Fernando and Mathews paved the way for an Afghan collapse as Sri Lanka seal the series.

Following a close-fought loss in the first T20I, captain Ibrahim Zadran sent the home side to bat first after winning the coin flip. Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis offered a brisk start against the Afghan new ball duo of Fazalhaq Farooqi and Azmatullah Omarzai, scoring 45 runs opening stand before they fled back to the hut in a space of three deliveries. Having scored 55 runs inside the powerplay, Dhananjaya de Silva and Sadeera Samarawickrama added 41 runs together before the former was outwitted by Mohammad Nabi midway through the innings. It was followed by Wanindu Hasaranga’s 9-ball 22 cameo before Nabi and Omarzai peg back to reduce the Lankans to 122/5 in 15 overs. However, the experience of Angelo Mathews (42*) came in handy for them as he consolidated a 66-run sixth wicket stand with Samarawickrama (51) to steer them to 187/6 in 20 overs.

Unlike the counterparts, the Afghanistan side suffered early jitters as Angelo Mathews and Binura Fernando wreaked havoc in their batting order by extracting five wickets inside the powerplay for just 40 runs. Although Nabi and Karim Janat tried to soak the pressure and ease off the scenario, they failed to convert their mid-twenties as Dasun Shanaka broke the 39-run sixth wicket stand. Eventually, Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirana bagged a couple of wickets each to clear the tail in a space of 22 deliveries to bundle them at 110. 

Taking lead

Congrats

What happened?

Big win

Player of the match

Valuable player

Surprising commentary

Great achievement

Dissappointing

Champ

 

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