SL vs AFG | Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya Engineer Big Win as SL Levels Series in 2nd ODI
Kusal Mendis scored his 21st ODI fifty (Twitter)
Brief Score: Sri Lanka – 323/6 in 50 overs [Kusal Mendis 78 (75), Dimuth Karunaratne 52 (62); Mohammad Nabi 2/52 (10), Fareed Ahmad 2/61 (9)] beat Afghanistan – 191 all out in 42.1 overs [Hashmatullah Shahidi 57 (62), Ibrahim Zadran 54 (75); Dhananjaya de Silva 3/39 (10), Wanindu Hasaranga 3/42 (9)] by 132 runs
Afghanistan, high from their six-wicket win in the opening ODI, fell to a 132-run larruping in the second match of the series in Hambantota. Hosts Sri Lanka responded strongly with their series-levelling win, featuring contributions from each of their top four batters upfront.
Moreover, Sri Lankan bowlers also backed their batter’s effort by strangling Afghanistan during the run-chase.
Mendis, Karunaratne lay foundation for 300-plus total
Sri Lankan openers Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne responded with attacking mindset after their skipper Dasun Shanaka won the toss and opted to bat first. Nissanka scored an attacking 43 at the top, while his partner Karunaratne registered his sixth ODI fifty.
Kusal Mendis at number three top-scored in the innings with his 75-ball 78 and formed an 88-run stand with Sadeera Samarawickrama, who missed out his fifty at 44.
At 213-4 after 40 overs, the Sri Lankan middle-order flourished in unison to take their team total past the 300-run mark with ease. Dhananjaya de Silva, captain Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga registered sparkling cameos as hosts mounted 323-6 upfront.
For Afghanistan, Fareed Ahmad and senior all-rounder Mohammad Nabi claimed two wickets each. Mujeeb Ur Rahman conceded just 39 runs from his 10 overs and claimed the prized scalp of Samarawickrama.
Shahidi, Zadran receive little support as visitors succumbs to SL spinners
Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz became Dushmantha Chameera’s first of two victims of the afternoon in just the fourth over of the innings. Rahmat Shah soon joined him in the pavilion after scoring a rapid 36 at number three.
Thereafter, opener Ibrahim Zadran and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi shared an 84-run stand for the third wicket. Zadran struck his second half-century of the series, while Shahidi top-scored with a near run-a-ball 57.
Unfortunately for Afghanistan, the remaining batters failed to capitalise on Zadran and Shahidi’s partnership, as their entire response folded up for just 191 despite being comfortably placed at 146-2 at one stage.
As many as six Afghan batters were dismissed in the range of zero and three, with Sri Lankan spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Dhananjaya de Silva inflicting the most damage with their three-fers. Maheesh Theekshana also claimed a wicket as hosts spinners accounted for seven of the 10 fallen Afghanistan victims in the run-chase.
With the series levelled at 1-1, the two sides will play the decider at the same venue on June 7.
 "Aakash Saini")
