DUBAI: Afghan bowlers wreaked havoc on the Sri Lankan batting line before starters Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz He tasked the bowlers with outscoring the Islanders by eight wickets with 59 balls to spare in the opening match of the 2022 Asia Cup.
Sri Lanka suffered a complete batting collapse as eight of their batsmen failed to get into double figures and the team was bowled at 105 after they were put up to bat.
Pace midfielder Fazalhaq Farooqi kept himself inspired on the ball as he grabbed two early wickets, dismissing Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka in the early part of the game, with Naveen-ul-Haq getting rid of Pathum Nissanka in the next to reduce Sri Lanka at 5-3.
Despite a brief resistance in the middle fueled by Danushka Gunathilaka (17) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (38) with a 44-run partnership, Afghanistan attacked with even greater force, breaking into the lower order.
Chamika Karunaratne, on the other hand, played a gutsy 31-for-38 shot late in the order to help the team surpass the 100-run mark.
For Afghanistan, Fazalhaq produced the sensational 3/11 bowling figures, while Mujeeb ur Rehman and Mohammad Nabi bagged two wickets each.
Ready to chase a paltry total, the Afghan starters blasted out a powerful 83-run opening partnership with Gurbaz that took its toll on the Sri Lankan bowlers as he smashed 40 of 18, hitting three bounds and four giant sixes before Hasaranga De Silva will remove it.
Zazai, on the other hand, scored an unbeaten 37-for-28, combined with five fours and sixes to lead his team to a comprehensive victory in the 11th for the loss of just two wickets.
With the resounding victory, Afghanistan increased their chances of qualifying for the next round of the tournament as they now face Bangladesh in the next Group B match on Tuesday.
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