Afghanistan exhibited their batting prowess yet again, securing their third victory in the ongoing World Cup by defeating Sri Lanka by seven wickets. Powered by fifties from Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, and Azmatullah Omarzai, Afghanistan chased down Sri Lanka’s total of 241 with remarkable ease.
The return of left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi proved instrumental, as his four-wicket haul played a vital role in restricting Sri Lanka’s innings. Although Pathum Nissanka top-scored for Sri Lanka with 46, the contributions from Angelo Mathews and Maheesh Theekshana were insufficient to take their team beyond the 250-run mark.
Afghanistan continue their charge towards a top-four finish in #CWC23 with a stupendous win in Pune 👊#AFGvSL 📝: https://t.co/2lhrckvJl8 pic.twitter.com/bSSXPZHUJe
— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) October 30, 2023
Afghanistan’s batting prowess has been the highlight of their World Cup campaign. They have now won three out of six games, positioning themselves with a decent chance to reach the semifinals if they secure two wins in their remaining three matches.
After years of being known for their bowling, Afghanistan has emerged as a formidable force in the batting department, showcasing their chasing masterclass against both Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
In these two chases, they lost only five wickets and amassed a total of 528 runs, underlining their batting dominance on the world stage.