SL VS AFG - 1st ODI, Afghanistan tour of Sri Lanka, 2023

AFG's second highest run-chase and they have once again won the series opener in Sri Lanka, as they did in 2022. They only managed to draw that series 1-1, but they've a chance to go better this time around and clinch the series on Sunday. For Sri Lanka, winning is important, but it's not more important than getting their combination right for the all-important World Cup qualifiers, starting on June 18th in Zimbabwe. They'll rotate their players around and will also look to bounce back in two days time. We had a field day with our choices in the fantasy league with Ibrahim Zadran, who we had as our captain, making 98. Did you have him in your team as well? Do follow #FantasyHandbook on Cricbuzz Plus for more such detailed information. Join us on Sunday as this series rolls on. For now, cheers and bye..

Hashmatullah Shahidi - We're happy about this performance. They were 84 for 4, but DDS and Asalanka batted well, but we recovered well and the bowlers went about their plans. We were happy to keep them under 270. The last two overs, we faced a fielding penalty, but the bowlers delivered. He's a match-winner for us (on Ibrahim Zadran), I trust him a lot, he's improving every match and hopefully he'll continue to do well for us.

Dasun Shanaka - The plan was to play positive cricket, we had experience in the dug-out, but unfortunately things didn't go well. 300+ would have been challenging, but we felt short, we did bowl well, he came straight away from IPL to a 50-over game (on Matheesha Pathirana). With the WC qualifiers close by, we wanted to have a look at him. We need to win games, but the WC qualifiers is important, we'll rotate the bowlers around throughout the series

Ibrahim Zadran | Player of the Match - It's very hard to get out like that. I wanted to make a hundred and finish the game, but it's part of the game. To be honest, we bowled well, executed the plans and didn't allow them to go past 300, then me and Rahmat put on a good stand. 269 was a good score, but not a big score, we wanted to restrict them under 300, we knew it was a good wicket and wanted to bat long. I was middling the ball well, was waiting for the loose balls and we wanted to rotate strike. I just told him not to play any extra shots. 

18:15 Local Time, 12:45 GMT, 18:15 IST: A convincing performance and Afghanistan have shown why they're to be treated as a serious opposition today. They won the toss, bowled with discipline, took their catches and bowled the hosts out for 268. It was a tricky chase and they lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz early, but Ibrahim Zadran, Afghanistan's version of Virat Kohli (he wears Kohli's number 18 as well) showed remarkable technique and was helped by Matheesha Pathirana's poor start with the ball as he raced away to a 35-ball fifty. That allowed Rahmat Shah to take his time and settle, the pair added 146 runs for the second wicket before Zadran's innings was cruelly cut short on 98. Rahmat went on to make a half-century, skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi chipped in with 38 and Mohammad Nabi's experience saw them home, with 19 balls to spare. Plenty of worries for the hosts - they were without Chameera, Hasaranga and Theekshana, but the bowling lacked bite and ideas - Pathirana had a debut to forget, Kumara's injury will worry them further - they'll have to go back to the drawing room and come back with better plans on Sunday. 

Pathirana to Najibullah, 1 run, AFG go 1-0 ahead, short and wide once again, cut over point for a single

Pathirana to Najibullah, FOUR, scores are level, short and wide of off, slapped away over point and the ball races away to the point boundary, beating Chamika's dive with it

Pathirana to Nabi, 1 run, fuller length delivery outside off, eased square on the off-side for a single

Pathirana to Nabi, FOUR, edged and four, on a good length and just outside off, Nabi is drawn into the drive, gets a thick edge which runs away fine and past the fielder's dive at third man

Pathirana to Najibullah, 1 run, wide full-toss from Pathirana, toe-ended infront of cover for a quick single

Matheesha Pathirana [8.0-0-55-1] is back into the attack

Rajitha to Nabi, FOUR, short, wide and four, width on offer and Nabi doesn't miss out, rides the bounce and cuts it high and over backward point, bounces away to the ropes

The physio comes out for the mandatory concussion check, he doesn't need to do anything as such and is sent away by Nabi

Rajitha to Nabi, no run, short and climbing onto Nabi, he was early into the swivel pull and gets a top-edge which clattered into the helmet

Rajitha to Najibullah, 1 run, on a good length and just outside off, dropped to the right of cover for a single

Rajitha to Najibullah, no run, banged in short and angling across the left-hander, left alone

Rajitha to Najibullah, no run, on a good length and just outside off, driven hard and straight to the fielder at cover

Najibullah Zadran, left handed bat, comes to the crease

Rajitha to Shahidi, out Caught by Kusal Mendis!! Rajitha has a wicket, but it could be all too late in this game - shortened the length and angled one across the left-hander, Shahidi's feet didn't move as he aimed an ambitious drive, gets a thin edge and Kusal Mendis snaffles it with ease. A loud and pleading appeal, the umpire waits and waits and then sends Shahidi on his way. Shahidi c Kusal Mendis b Rajitha 38(47) [4s-4]

Rajitha to Shahidi, THATS OUT!! Caught!!