SL vs AFG | Chameera, Hasaranga Dismantle Afghanistan to Script Series Win for Sri Lanka
Dushmantha Chameera celebrates a wicket in third ODI (Twitter)
Sri Lanka – 120/1 in 16 overs [Dimuth Karunaratne 56* (45), Pathum Nissanka 51 (34); Gulbadin Naib 1/19 (2)] beat Afghanistan – 116 all out in 22.2 overs [Mohammad Nabi 23 (23), Ibrahim Zadran 22 (21); Dushmantha Chameera 4/63 (9), Wanindu Hasaranga 3/7 (4.2)]
Sri Lanka demolished Afghanistan in the third ODI to script a memorable series win at home. Remarkably, Dasun Shanaka and co. were thumped in the opening match, only to return the favour to the visitors in the next game.
The hosts went one-up in the series-decider, thus giving themselves some much-needed confidence heading into the 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe.
Chameera, Hasaranga fold up Afghanistan for just 116
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and opted to bat first in the series-deciding third ODI in Hambantota. At a venue where they chased down Sri Lanka’s 268 with ease less than a week ago, Afghanistan top-order crumbled in the decider as they lost their top four for just 48 inside the first 10 overs of the innings.
Opener Ibrahim Zadran, all-rounder Mohammad Nabi and Gulbadin Naib barely crossed the 20-run mark, with Nabi’s 23 amounting as the biggest dividend from Afghanistan’s first innings blunder.
They were eventually dusted out for 116, inside 23 overs, with each of the four Sri Lankan bowlers inflicting some heavy damage to the visitors.
New-ball pacer Dushmantha Chameera snared four wickets and finished with figures of 4-63 from his nine overs. His partner Lahiru Kumara trapped both openers while spinners Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga finished with one and three wickets respectively.
Hasaranga’s conceded just seven runs for his three-fer, and was instrumental in polishing off the Afghanistan tail.
Top 3 complete demolition job in 16 overs
Sri Lankan openers Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne both cracked sparkling half-centuries during their 84-run stand in the chase. The latter of the two remained undefeated and guided his side past the finishing line alongside number three Kusal Mendis.
Unfortunately for Afghanistan, Rashid Khan’s return to the side did not matter much as the ace spinner went wicketless in his four overs. Gulbadin Naib claimed the lone wicket of the run-chase, by bringing down curtains to Nissanka’s 34-ball 51 at the top.
The Sri Lankan drawcards will now travel to Zimbabwe for the imminent 2023 World Cup Qualifier.
 "Aakash Saini")
