Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka Match Highlights & Results

Right then. Sri Lanka stay alive (not that they were out anyway) and are upto 6th place. Their net run rate is very poor but they will take the 2 points for now. Tough luck for Afghanistan, who will feel that they should have had this in the bag. No time to fret though! The carnival continues and India, one of the title contenders, announce themselves on Wednesday, as they take on South Africa at Southampton at 10.30 am local (0930 GMT). It is a double header and the second game is between New Zealand and Bangladesh in London at 1.30 pm local (1230 GMT). ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

Victorious Sri Lankan captain, Dimuth Karunaratne, says that the only negative part in this game was the collapse with the bat after the terrific start. Praises the bowling and fielding altogether. Stresses that his side has experience and hence the unit was positive that it could defend the total. On his advice to the bowlers during the innings break, Dimuth says that breaking the opening stand was the key as the Afghan openers usually go hard. Admits that the middle order is a worry and aims to work on how to keep batting for longer periods in the coming games.

Afghanistan skipper, Gulbadin Naib, feels that Afghanistan did not bowl in the right areas at the start and that is where the game was lost. Admits that they did bowl well in the middle period but that wastage of the new balls hurt them. On the wicket, Naib says that it was not easy for batting so all the bowlers had to do was to keep hitting a consistent line and length. Praises the Sri Lankan side for coming out firing with the ball. On the revised target of 187, Gulbadin says that it was not too much and agrees that some improvement is needed in the batting department, like getting together partnerships. On his own batting, Naib says that he just tried to bat straight. Hopes that his team improves in the coming matches.

NUWAN PRADEEP has been named the MAN OF THE MATCH. But Thisara Perera comes up for a chat with Pommie Mbangwa instead. Thisara says that he is really happy with his bowling as 186 is really difficult to defend. Says that on this type of a wicket, if one bowls in the right lengths, it is difficult to score. Praises himself, saying that normally he is a good fielder. Calls his bowling unit as an experienced one and says that they believed that they could defend this total.

Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka orchestrated an unbelievable collapse, rising to 144/1 and then falling in a heap to post 201. Kusal Perera was the lone warrior with his 78. Did the pitch spice up due to the rain? There was a 3-hour delay due to showers and that perhaps played in the hands of the Lankans, even though 15 runs were wiped off their final score. Please stay tuned for the presentation...

Pradeep bowled with sheer pace and got rid of Naib and Rashid and the Afghans were pegged back once more. And then, when they were hunting for singles and twos, Malinga strut his stuff, bowling yorkers at will and ending the fight. The wickets column might show only the likes of Pradeep and Malinga getting acknowledgement but the whole bowling unit needs to receive praise for keeping the pressure on the opposition.

Just like the Australia game, the lower middle order stood out in this match for Afghanistan. Captain Gulbadin Naib came to the fore and stitched a 64-run stand for the 6th wicket with Najibullah Zadran. At that stage, it seemed like the tables were turning. But Dimuth Karunaratne threw the ball to Nuwan Pradeep and he swung the game around.

Normally, in an ODI, chasing 187 in 41 overs is no difficult task. But Sri Lanka made it difficult for Afghanistan. The Afghans got off to a decent start, adding 34 for the opening wicket but Shahzad's wicket opened the floodgates. They slipped from 34/0 to 57/5 and it really seemed like the game was over at that point of time. But no Afghan game is over without a fightback.

Wow. What a game. Truly sensational. Sri Lanka are alive and kicking. They were always expected to win this one (Were they? My colleagues will not agree) and at the halfway mark, were looking in a really bad shape. But the bowling, spurred by Malinga and Pradeep, led their team to a wonderful win.

OUT! TIMBER! Perfect yorker and SRI LANKA WIN BY 34 RUNS (DLS METHOD)! Toe-crusher from Lasith Malinga. Bowls a yorker on middle, Hassan looks to dig it out but misses it and gets bowled. You can hear the sound of the death rattle.

SIX! Powerful shot. Full on leg, Hassan lofts it cleanly over long on for a biggie.

Bowls a short delivery outside off, Hassan looks to pull but misses it.

Bowls a yorker on leg, Mujeeb flicks it towards leg side for a single.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman is the last man in.

OUT! A run out ends Najibullah's fighting innings. A bit unfortunate for him too. Full and outside off, Zadran drives it towards mid off and sets off for a single. Dimuth Karunaratne fields it at that position and has a shy at the bowler's end. Najibullah has to run around the bowler and hence loses a big chunk of time. It is a direct hit and Zadran is well short!

Outside off, a short ball, another hook and a miss.

A good short ball, Najibullah backs away, missing out on the pull. He looks at the square leg umpire but does not get a wide. Is furious with himself.

FREE HIT COMING UP!

FOUR! Off the outside edge! Full and outside off, Najibullah swings hard but gets a thick outside edge which beats third man to his right. Hang on. It is a no ball because three fielders are inside the circle instead of 5!

Another short ball, right at the face of the batsman, Zadran backs away, looking to play a paddle-pull but misses.

FOUR! Up and over! Short and outside off, Najibullah backs away and slaps it over cover. Nearly goes all the way!

On a good length outside off, Najibullah feels for it but misses.

Isuru Udana returns. 5-0-19-1 so far.

The batsman just manages to keep the yorker out. Good ball bowled by the bowler. 1 run and a wicket from the over. Terrific over from Lasith Malinga.

Another yorker, pushed towards mid on.

Hamid Hassan is the new man in.

OUT! BOWLED! A Malinga special. Yorker, you miss, he hits. Dawlat makes room and looks to dig it out but misses it and gets bowled. Beautiful bowling from Malinga. Sri Lanka are two wickets away from winning the match.

Low full toss on middle, Dawlat flicks it to mid-wicket.

OUCH! Bowls a quick short delivery, Dawlat takes his eyes off the ball and looks to pull but misses it and gets hit on the grille of the helmet.

Good ball from Malinga. Bowls a yorker on middle, Dawlat does well to dig it out and plays it to mid on.

WIDE! Bowls a slower ball down the leg side, Dawlat looks to flick but misses it.

Lasith Malinga is back on. 5-0-31-1 so far.

Outside off, a play and a miss.

Full on middle, driven through mid on for a quick run. Dawlat is hobbling around...

Another back foot punch towards the bowler.

Outside off, punched back to the bowler.

Outside off, punched off the back foot.

On a length outside off, worked through mid-wicket for a single.

Bowls a bouncer, Dawlat lets it sail through to the keeper.

On a length on middle, Najibullah flicks it towards square leg for a single.

Length delivery on middle, Najibullah flicks it towards square leg. The batsmen pick up a couple. In the process, Dawlat Zadran is struggling with his running here.

Bowls a bouncer outside off, Najibullah does well to leave it.

IN THE AIR BUT SAFE! Lakmal bowls it full and outside off, Najibullah lofts it over point where the fielder goes for the catch but it falls just short of him. The batsmen decide against the run.

BEATEN! Good shape on this one. Good length delivery outside off, Najibullah looks to poke at this one but misses it due to the away movement on this one.

Another delay. Dawlat Zadran is not happy with his back and is down again. The physio is back on.

A bouncer outside off, Dawlat ducks to let that through.

Outside off, pushed to point for a quick run again.

Around off, worked through mid-wicket for a quick single.

A short ball, down the leg side, Dawlat looks to hook but misses.

Outside off, punched off the back foot.

On a good length outside off, punched through the covers for a single.

Someone is on the ground. It is Dawlat Zadran. He is getting some treatment on his back. All ready now.

Played to the point region by the batsman.

Outside off, Zadran feels for it but misses.

MISFIELD, FOUR! Fielding in shambles. You stop, I stop, ahhh... the ball goes through. Full and around off, Dawlat drives this down the ground. First, Pradeep tries to stop it by getting down to his right. Misses. Second, Lasith Malinga gets across from mid on and slides but misses. Angelo Mathews then gets across from mid off and cannot stop it either! He gets up, runs after the ball, gets to it but takes it along with him into the ropes!

Full and around off, driven straight to mid off.

Huge LBW shout! NOT OUT! Full and fast but going down the leg side, Dawlat just tries to keep it out but misses and is hit on the back pad.

Dawlat Zadran comes in at number 9. All he needs to do is hang in there with Najibullah.

OUT! BOWLED! Is that the second-last nail in the coffin? Pradeep has turned it around for the Lankans. This is pure fast bowling. On a length, around off, Rashid looks to defend but the ball jags back in, takes the front pad and then hits the stumps! 64 more needed from 89 balls.

Outside off, solidly defended from the crease.

Full and around off, solidly defended.

Outside off, punched back down the ground.

Full and around off, well defended.

Outside off, punched off the back foot for a single.

A length ball, down the leg side, Rashid misses his flick. The ball goes off his pads behind and Kusal Perera goes up in an appeal but the umpire turns it down.

Suranga Lakmal is back on. 3-0-21-0 so far.

Outside off, driven through the covers for a single.

Rashid Khan walks in next. Can he hang around with Najib?

OUT! LBW! Massive moment in the game and the well-strung partnership has been cut short. On a length outside off, Naib stays back to defend but the ball pitches and then shoots through. The skipper is hit on the pads and up goes Pradeep in an appeal. Umpire Wilson thinks for a while and then raises his finger! Naib almost immediately takes it upstairs but Hawk Eye shows the ball to be clipping the outer half of leg stump, which means, the umpire's call will stay! Naib has to walk off. Afghanistan do not lose a review but they are back in a spot of bother. 66 more needed from 97 balls.

Naib has been adjudged LBW! He has taken the review though. Is this missing leg? No inside edge. And... it is CLIPPING LEG STUMP! Naib has to go!

Around off, well blocked out.

FIVE WIDES! Oh dear... that is a monster. Banged in the middle of the deck, shoots upward and goes well above everyone. Poor Kusal Perera has no chance even with a leap.

The ball is doing very little now. So you will find a lot of bowlers bowl cross-seam at this stage. Meanwhile, plenty of dark clouds are back to watch this exciting game.

Full on middle, pushed straight to mid on.

Outside off, steered towards third man for a run.

Full and outside off, driven through the covers for a single. This is the time when Sri Lanka will start getting nervous again. Things are getting too easy for Afghanistan.

FOUR! Oh ho ho! Full and around leg, Zadran gets down and reverse sweeps it through point for a boundary!

Pushes this through mid on for a run.

Mix-up, but safe! Down the leg side, Najibullah tickles it towards short fine leg and sets for a single but then stops. However, Naib calls him through and they decide to go through for the run. Lasith Malinga is a bit slow from short fine leg and returns a weak throw to the bowler.

Fired in outside off, watchfully pushed back to the bowler.

Around off, spinning in, worked through square leg for a single. 79 more needed from 106 balls.

Full and outside off, pushed back to the bowler.

First sign of spin. Dhananjaya de Silva introduced.

Landed outside off, played straight to point.

WIDE. This is getting away from Sri Lanka now. A 50-run stand for the 6th wicket and the runs required are 80. A bouncer, on middle and leg, NZ ducks again.

Defended off the back foot by the batsman.

Full and around off, watchfully defended.

WIDE. A short ball, around middle and leg, going down with the angle, Zadran ducks and it is wided.

Full and around off, driven straight to mid off.

A bouncer pitched outside leg, Najibullah ducks.

On a good length around middle, defended back to the bowler.

Change of ends for Nuwan Pradeep. 5-1-14-2 so far.

On middle and leg, flicked through square leg for a couple.

Around off, solidly defended.

Full and around middle, worked through square leg for a couple.

It is ironic but the floodlights are being switched on when the ground is bathed in sunshine.

A bouncer, around off, Gulbadin ducks.

Full and around off, watchfully defended.

Oohh... Outside off, on a length, Naib looks to punch it through the off side but the ball comes in, takes the inside edge and goes past the stumps towards long leg. A couple of runs taken.

Isuru Udana is back on. 4-0-13-1 so far.