U19WC: AFG beat SL, reaches Super League SF

Antigua, Jan 28 (UNI) Afghanistan secured a place in the semifinals of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup after they edged past match favorites Sri Lanka in a low scoring thriller. The victory was an out-of-the-box accomplishment after Afghanistan just managed 134 all out on Thursday. Notwithstanding the paltry 135 runs target, Suliman Safi’s side just hit the right chords to progress from the Super League quarterfinals. Dunith Wellalage looked all set to help his team race past the target, but Afghanistan bowlers poured water on the efforts of the Sri Lankan skipper to reach the final four, repeating the feat which they achieved in the 2018 tournament held in New Zealand.

After calling the toss right, Sri Lanka skipper Dunith Wellalage elected to field after expecting much from the prevailing condition at the Coolidge Cricket Ground. It did work, but after ten overs. Afghanistan openers Nangeyalia Kharote and Bilal Sayedi (6) gave a sedate start, accumulating 24 runs in 11 overs before Traveeen Mathew cleaned up Sayedi on the outside edge. In the very next over, Nangeyalia Kharote (13) walked back to the hut and when skipper Safi was adjudged LBW for one, Afghanistan were tottering at 26 for 3 in 13.1 overs. Then, Ijaz Ahmadzai got out for naught, but Abdul Hadi steadied the ship with a vital knock. The left-hander managed to score 37, which was studded with four boundaries, before he was foxed by Wellalage and was stumped. Vinjua Ranpul then ran through the Afghan tail, ending with dream figures of 5 for 10 in 9.1 overs. When he rattled Izhar Ul Haq Naveed’s timbers, Afghanistan folded their innings for just 134 runs. From the onset, Sri Lanka were in trouble. In the very first over, opener Sadisha Rajapaksa lost his wicket for a duck. Shevon Daniel made just 2 before he was bowled by Bilal Sami.

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Soon Sri Lanka were reduced to 5 for 30 in 14.2 overs before Nor Ahmed produced a cracking ball to celebrate Ranuda Somarathne’s wicket. Just when the dream of Sri Lanka was ebbing, Wellalage and Raveen de Silva put on a brave front by stitching a 69 runs partnership for eighth wicket, piloting the team from 43 runs for 7 to 112. Kharote scalped the all-important wicket of Wellalage, who drove on the backfoot straight into the hands of Allah Noor, before Naveed Zadran bagged de Silva to set up a nail-biting finish. Within the sight of an unbelievable victory, Sri Lanka could not get the needed five runs as Afghanistan got their fourth run out of the innings, costing Treveen Mathew the final wicket. Afghanistan will now lock horns with England in the first Super League semifinal at the Sir Viv Richards Cricket Ground on February 1.

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