AFG VS SL - 6th Match, Group B, Asia Cup, 2023

Phew! A nail-biter at Lahore. Sri Lanka won this see-saw battle to progress to the next round. This will be a tough loss to swallow for Afghanistan. From almost qualifying and then losing the match by 2 runs, it'll take a while for them to recover from this. They were so focused on 37.1 that after Mujeeb's downfall, they didn't know they could have still crossed the line in the next three balls with a six. Well, they have some time to pick themselves up before the World Cup. No one will take them lightly, that's for sure. On that note, it's time to bring the curtains down on this humdinger of a contest. Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are the four teams that have progressed to the next round. Tune in tomorrow for the first Super Fours encounter between Pakistan and Bangladesh at Lahore. Until then, it's goodbye...

Kusal Mendis | Player of the Match: We batted well in the first ten overs and then in the middle overs. I did my best today for my today. We were under pressure. The bowlers did a great job. With four fielders outside the circle, it's very hard to bowl. We did well in all three departments and that's why we won. Wellalage bowled really well, he got two wickets in an over. Matheesha also bowled well, he's improving.

Dasun Shanaka | Sri Lanka captain: It's a tough one, very hard to defend such a total. DDS and my wicket - that was the important part of the game. Mendis and Asalanka built the innings really well. We didn't chip today. Credit to Theekshana and Wellalage - they played brilliantly to finish on 291. Kasun opened the door for us. Nabi played an outstanding innings which almost took away the game from us. We found a way to win.

Matheesha Pathirana: Very tough game. We tried to qualify. We won the match, so we are happy. That's the only thing I can do when I am under pressure, I smile to calm myself. Our main bowlers are injured, I want to do that (take responsibility).

Hashmatullah Shahidi | Afghanistan captain: Very disappointed about it (the loss and elimination). We fought well, we gave our 100%. Proud of the team for they way we played, the way we batted. I think in the last couple of years we played good cricket in the ODI format also. We are still learning a lot. We had a lot of positives in this tournament. We are very near to the World Cup, what we did wrong here we will learn and be better for World Cup. Our crowd is always supporting us. We are thankful to them. We tried tour best to give something back to them today, we feel sorry for them.

Opting to bat, Sri Lanka got off to a brisk start scoring 62/0 in the first powerplay, Afghanistan fought back by picking up three wickets for just 23 runs. Mendis and Asalanka stitched a century stand. Afghanistan once again came back by reducing the Islanders from 188/3 to 227/7. SL finished with 292 on the board; with the target to be hunted down inside 37.1 overs, they lost both their openers cheaply. And, Afghanistan still didn't give up. Gulbadin, promoted to three, set the tone with a little cameo. Rahmat Shah batted fluently before falling for a 40-ball 45. The experienced Nabi walked in at 121/4 and took four balls to get off the mark but he got going with a six and that was start of something incredible. The 38-year-old all-rounder took the attack to the Lankan bowlers and blasted a 24-ball fifty - also the fastest fifty by an Afghanistan batter. SL were feeling the pressure big time and Theekshana broke the 80-run stand by removing Nabi. Wellalage bowled a brilliant 32nd over removing Janat and half-centurion Shahidi in the same over. Rashid took it deep and his team were one hit away. However, when DDS removed Mujeeb, Afghanistan finally gave up even though they still had a chance (probably unknown to them).

21:58 Local Time, 16:58 GMT, 22:28 IST: Sri Lanka get out of jail, heartbreak for Afghanistan! Afghanistan needed a Herculean task to progress and they got so close. They never gave up but they probably didn't know that they still had a chance after 37.1 overs. They needed one six off the next three deliveries, but Fazalhaq Farooqi came out and blocked three balls. Rashid, who denied a couple of singles in the 36th over, could only watch it unfold agonizingly from the non-striker's end. Lot of credit to the way Afghanistan played this game.

Dhananjaya to Fazalhaq Farooqi, out Lbw!! Fazalhaq Farooqi has been adjudged lbw. Offbreak, Fazalhaq Farooqi plays down the wrong line to defend and is beaten on the outside edge. Gets pinned on the back leg and that looks plumb. Ball-tracking shows it to be hitting middle of middle! Sri Lanka win by 2 runs and progress to the Super Fours. Afghanistan are eliminated. Fazalhaq Farooqi lbw b Dhananjaya 0(3)

Dhananjaya to Fazalhaq Farooqi, THATS OUT!! Lbw!!

DRS!

Fazalhaq Farooqi has to go for a biggie. But do Afghanistan know that? I don't think so...

Dhananjaya to Fazalhaq Farooqi, no run, tossed up, Fazalhaq Farooqi defends it to cover. Can't steal a single

Dhananjaya to Fazalhaq Farooqi, no run, low full toss, pushed back to the bowler

Fazalhaq Farooqi, right handed bat, comes to the crease

If Afghanistan hit a six in one of the next three balls, they can still qualify...

Dhananjaya to Mujeeb, out Caught by Samarawickrama!! Heartbreak? Very full delivery from round the wicket, Mujeeb clears his front leg to loft. Decent contact but doesn't quite get the elevation. Straight down long-on's throat. Mujeeb c Samarawickrama b Dhananjaya 0(3)

Dhananjaya to Mujeeb, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Dhananjaya de Silva [1.0-0-12-0] is back into the attack

3 runs | 1 ball. DDS to bowl this over. If Afghanistan get two runs off this ball, they'll still be in the hunt....

Wellalage to Rashid Khan, FOUR, four more! Fired in full by Wellalage and Rashid Khan clears his front leg for a mighty slogsweep. Gets a thick inside edge that eludes the leg-stump and runs away to fine leg for four. Streaky but Afghanistan won't mind one bit