Sri Lanka registered their first win of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 by beating Afganistan in a rain-affected match at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff on Tuesday. Put into bat, Kusal Perera and Dimuth Karunaratne stitched at 92-run stand, then the Afghans hit back with Mohammad Nabi getting three wickets in an over. Then came the rain.
The match became a 41-overs a side affair. And the cat and dog fight continued as neither side managing a complete control. But Nuwan Pradeep and Lasith Malinga were there, showing their collective experience. Pradeep took four, while Malinga moped up the tail, getting three in return.
Playing XIs
Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne, Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Kusal Perera (wk), Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga
Afghanistan: Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib (c), Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Hamid Hassan
11:49 PM IST: Sri Lanka finally won an ODI against a full member team in ten matches. And inspiring the win was Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Pradeep even though the rain played it part.
11:40 PM IST: Hamid commits the cardinal sin of hitting a fast bowler for a six, and he pays the price. Yorker at high speed and game over. AFG-152 all out. Lanka win, by 34 runs in the truncated match.
11:35 PM IST: Isuru Udana returns for his sixth over. Najibullah Zadran starts opening up. Hits the second ball for a four, over extra cover. A dot then, a no-ball for lack of fielders inside the circle and a four, thick edge. Two dots and a direct throw from Dimuth Karunaratne sends Najibullah back. FoW-145/9 (31.6). 42 from 54 but only one wicket. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, right-handed batsman, is the last man.
11:30 PM IST: Lasith Malinga returns. Starts with a well deceived slower delivery. Dawlat Zadran completely misses it but luckily the ball also misses the target, wide down leg. A bouncer Dawlat takes a body blow. Then a Malinga special, in between bat and pad. One run and a wicket from the over. AFG-136/8. Hamid Hassan, right-handed batsman, is the new man.
11:23 PM IST: Suranga Lakmal continues. And the sky turns dark. But no rain yet. Just two singles, and AFG-135/7 after 30 overs. They need 52 from 66 balls.
11:19 PM IST: Dawlat Zadran needs medical attention. And Nuwan Pradeep will get a ninth over. Only one bowler can have, and he's the one. Three dots to Najibullah Zadran, then a double. Dawlat hobbles back. A single. Three runs from the over. 4/31 for him. AFG-133/7 after 29 overs. They need 54 from 72 balls.
It's never been about runs, but wickets. For both the sides, from the start.
11:12 PM IST: Lots of worried Afghan fans in the crowd. Suranga Lakmal on with his fifth over. Very good one. Just three singles. AFG-130/7 after 28 overs. They need 57 runs from 78 balls.
11:08 PM IST: Nuwan Pradeep honours his captain's trust with the wicket of Rashid Khan. On with his eighth over, the pacer clean bowls the all-rounder with a beauty. FoW-123/7 (26.1 over). Dawlat Zadran is the new man. And Zadran survives a huge LBW shout. A dot, then Zadran gets a lucky four with both Lasith Malinga and Angelo Mathews beaten by the ball to the deep. Two more dots. Pradeep's figures: 8-1-28-4. AFG-127/7 after 27 overs. They need 60 from 84 balls.
11:02 PM IST: Suranga Lakmal on with his fourth over. Just one single from it. AFG-123/6 after 26 overs.
10:57 PM IST: Nuwan Pradeep on with his seventh over. Two singles, then a dot to Gulbadin Naib. Five wides as the ball bounce over the jumping wicketkeeper. Then the bid wicket. Pradeep traps Naib in front. Umpire's call. He made 23 off 32. FoW-121/6 (24.5 over). Rashid Khan is the new man. Straight on the front foot and a single to sweeper cover. Eight runs and a wicket. AFG-122/6 after 25 overs. They need 65 more runs.
10:51 PM IST: Dhananjaya de Silva, off-spinner, gets his first over. A dot to Gulbadin Naib, then three singles. Najibullah Zadran hits the last ball for a four, behind square. Seven runs from the over. AFG-114/5 after 24 overs.
10:48 PM IST: Nuwan Pradeep on with his sixth over. Three dots to Najibullah Zadran, then a wide, down leg. Two more dots. A wide directed bouncer, but wide for height. And 50-run stand in 55 balls. A dot to end the over. Two runs, both wides, from the over. AFG-107/5 after 23 overs. They need 80 runs.
10:43 PM IST: Isuru Udana on with his fifth over. Gulbadin Naib gets a thick edge and two runs. Two dot balls, then the Afghan captain plays the fourth ball to deep square for another couple. A dot and another double, this time to deep mid-wicket. AFG-105/5 after 22 overs. They need 82 runs from 19 overs.
10:38 PM IST: Suranga Lakmal returns for his third over. A dot to Afghan captain Gulbadin Naib to start with, then another. Then another. Another, even as Naib tries to breach the cover. A single off the fifth ball, to mid-on. Najibullah Zadran connects the last ball well but Nuwan Pradeep manages to field it at deep backward point. Three runs from the over. AFG-99/5 after 21 overs. They need another 88 runs.
10:32 PM IST: Brilliant over from Thisara Perera. Just three singles. His figures so far, 1/19 from four overs. AFG-96/5 after 20 overs. They need another 91 runs from 21 overs. And Drinks.
10:28 PM IST: Lasith Malinga returns for his fifth over. Gulbadin Naib hits the first two balls for fours, then a dot, a wide and a single. A dot to Najibullah Zadran, and a double to end the over. 12 runs from it. AFG-93/5 after 19 overs. They need 94 runs more.
10:21 PM IST: Six runs off Perera's third over. AFG-82/5 after 18 overs.
10:16 PM IST: Another stupendous over from Pradeep, only three runs off it. AFG-76/5 after 17 overs.
10:12 PM IST: Two boundaries from Najibullah. Needs to keep going. AFG-73/5 after 16 overs.
10:08 PM IST: Five runs off Pradeep's fourth over. AFG-65/5 after 15 overs.
10:04 PM IST: OUT! What a comeback from Sri Lanka! Now Perera joins the party, gets Nabi. Najibullah Zadran comes to the crease. Impressive over from Perera, a wicket and just three runs. AFG-60/5 after 14 overs.
10:00 PM IST: OUT! Pradeep strikes again. Sri Lanka on top. Extra bounce does the trick as Perera completes a good catch behind the stumps. Gulbadin Naib comes to the crease. AFG-57/4 after 13 overs.
9:54 PM IST: Two runs off the last ball for Nabi. Moves into double figures. Udana completes four overs. AFG-57/3 after 12 overs. Pradeep to continue.
9:50 PM IST: FOUR! Overpitched from Pradeep and Nabi lofts it over mid-on for his first boundary of the day. AFG-51/3 after 11 overs.
9:46 PM IST: Another magnificent over from Udana, only two runs off it. AFG-46/3 after 10 overs.
9:42 PM IST: OUT! You just need such kind of catches while defending a below-par score. Superb from Thisara Perera! Zazai departs for 30. First wicket for Pradeep. Mohammad Nabi comes to the crease. AFG-44/3 after 9 overs.
9:36 PM IST: OUT! Udana gets rid of Rahmat. Mathews completes a neat catch at first slip. Excellent over from the Sri Lankan, a wicket and only two runs. AFG-43/2 after 8 overs. Nuwan Pradeep comes into the attack.
9:31 PM IST: Tidy over from Malinga, just four off it. AFG-41/1 after 7 overs. Udana to continue.
9:26 PM IST: Isuru Udana, left-arm fast medium, gets his first over. Three singles from the over. AFG-37/1after six overs.
9:22 PM IST: New man Rahmat Shah, right handed bat, blocks the next delivery. And another dot. AFG-34/1 after five overs. They need 153 runs more.
9:18 PM IST: WICKET! Lasith Malinga continues, and Kusal Mendis drops Hazratullah Zazai off the second ball at deep backward square leg. But a dot ball later, Malinga had Zazai caught by Dimuth Karunaratne at short mid-wicket. FoW-34/1 (4.4 overs).
9:13 PM IST: Suranga Lakmal on with his second over. Seven runs from it. Hazratullah Zazai hits the first ball for a four, to deep mid-on. AFG-29/0 after four overs.
9:08 PM IST: Five runs from Lasith Malinga's second over, including a four off the hird ball, hit by Hazratullah Zazai through extra cover. AFG-22/0 after three overs. They need 165 runs.
9:04 PM IST: Suranga Lakmal shares the new ball with Lasith Malinga, and the right-arm medium pacer concedes 11 runs, including a six -- hit by Hazratullah Zazai off the second ball over mid-wicket and a four -- hit by Mohammad Shahzad off the fifth ball through cover. AFG-17/0 after two overs.
8:59 PM IST: Lasith Malinga with the first over, and first ball to Mohammad Shahzad. A dot. A single off the third ball, then Hazratullah Zazai got a double. A single and another double. AFG-6/1.
Innings Break
8:43 PM IST: Rashid Khan mops up Sri Lankan innings. Cleans up Nuwan Pradeep. SL-201 All Out in 36.5 overs. And the revised target is 187. Be back in ten minutes.
8:39 PM IST: One eventful over from Dawlat Zadran. Nine runs and a wicket from it. Suranga Lakmal hit the first and third balls for fours then Zadran yorked Lasith Malinga with a beauty. SL-199/9. Nuwan Pradeep is the last man.
8:33 PM IST: Rashid Khan on with his seventh over. A single from it. SL-190/8 after 35 overs.
8:30 PM IST: Finally, play resumed after the rain stoppage. Dawlat Zadran started with a seven-run over with Suranga Lakmal and Lasith Malinga batting. SL-189/8 after 34 overs.
8:15 PM IST: The match will now be a truncated one, possibly a 41-overs per side.
8:04 PM IST: Play will resume at 4 PM local time, which is some 25 minutes away from now.
7:30 PM IST: Rain has stopped. Play expected to resume anytime soon.
6:50 PM IST: Tea break taken and it's still raining. Sri Lankan camp must be happy.
6:25 PM IST: Will start losing overs after some 20 minutes. And it's still raining.
6:15 PM IST: Still raining in Cardiff. Will take some to resume play, even if the rain stops.
6:00 PM IST: Meanwhile, here's a big developing story on Dale Steyn.
5:45 PM IST: Sri Lanka were 144/1. Now at 182/8 in 33 overs, they will hope that Afghanistan lose momentum.
5:37 PM IST: Three runs and a wicket from the over for Rashid Khan, and the rain arrives. SL-182/8 after 33 overs.
5:32 PM IST: Rashid Khan removes Kusal Perera. Caught behind. Perera made 78 off 81. FoW-180/8 (32.2 overs). Lanka in big trouble.
5:24 PM IST: WICKET: Dawlat Zadran hits the target. Isuru Udana goes for a wild swing and misses it. The ball hits the middle of the middle stump. FoW-178/7 (31.3 overs). Drinks.
5:19 PM IST: 18 runs from the last five overs, with Rashid Khan bowling a maiden over to Isuru Udana. SL-177/6 after 31 overs.
5:15 PM IST: Rashid Khan on with his fourth over. Just two runs from it. His figures so far - 0/13. SL-175/6 after 29 overs. Kusal Perera is holding the fort, unbeaten on 76 off 74.
5:11 PM IST: Mohammad Nabi on with his eighth over. Isuru Udana valiantly plays a lofted shot off the first ball, and a six over long-off. A single off the next ball, and Kusal Perera blocks the last four balls. SL-173/6 after 28 overs.
5:01 PM IST: WICKET: Thisara Perera gone. Run out. Huge mixed-up. Good work from Afghan wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad. FoW-159/6 (25.4 overs). Isuru Udana is the new man.
4:57 PM IST: Hamid Hassan continues. Three singles from the over. 16 runs and four wickets in the last five over. SL-155/5 after 25 overs.
4:52 PM IST: Brilliant over from Mohammad Nabi. Just three runs. Kusal Perera is holding the Lankan fort. He is unbeaten on 70 off 58. SL-152/5 after 24 overs.
4:49 PM IST: WICKET: This is becoming a procession of Lankan wickets. Another duck. Dhananjaya de Silva, caught behind. Brilliant delivery from tireless Hamid Hasan . FoW-149/5 (22.6 overs). Sri Lanka falling apart, from 144/2 to 149/5.
4:43 PM IST: WICKET: And another one for Mohammad Nabi. Angelo Mathews caught at slip. FoW-146/4 (21.6 overs).
4:40 PM IST: WICKETS: Mohammad Nabi gets his second and third scalps in one over. Lahiru Thirimanne plays on. FoW-144/2 (21.2 over). And Kusal Mendis, caught at slip by Rahmat Shah. FoW-146/3 (21.4 over).
4:36 PM IST: One very good over from Hamid Hassan, but ends up leaking five runs -- two twos and a single. His figures - 0/40 from four overs. SL-144/1 after 21 overs.
4:30 PM IST: Another three-run over from Rashid Khan. A double off the first ball as Lahiru Thirimanne plays it towards sweeper cover. SL-139/1 after 20 overs.
4:24 PM IST: Another very quick over from Rashid Khan. Just three singles. SL-131/1 after 18 overs.
4:20 PM IST: Gulbadin Naib continues, and he's struggling. Overstepping, and wides. Kusal Perera hits the free-hit for a four, over mid-wicket, and fifty in 42 balls. He sure reminds many of legendary Sanath Jayasuria. Another no-ball. Perera hit the free-hit for another four. 19 runs from the over. SL-128/1 after 17 overs.
4:10 PM IST: Spin wizard Rashid Khan on with his first over. Five runs from it, including three off the first ball. It almost went for four overthrows. SL-109/1 after 16 overs. Drinks
4:06 PM IST: Gulbadin Naib continues on with his third over. A no-ball, and Lahiru Thirimanne hits the free-hit for a straight four to compete his 3000 ODI runs and also Sr Lanka's 100. Nine runs from the over. SL-104/1 after 15 overs.
3:59 PM IST: WICKET: Mohammad Nabi strikes. A momentary loss of concentration for Dimuth Karunaratne. He gently lofts the ball to Najibullah at long-on. FoW-92/1 (13.1 over). Lahiru Thirimanne, left-handed batsman, is the new man.
3:56 PM IST: Gulbadin Naib on with his second over. Four singles and a double from it. SL-92/0 after 13 overs.
3:52 PM IST: Mohammad Nabi on with his third over. Another very good over. Three singles from it. For a while, Afghan skipper Gulbadin Naib was out of the field to take care of his bruised elbow. SL-86/0 after 12 overs.
3:49 PM IST: Skipper Gulbadin Naib, a right-arm medium pacer, introduces himself. Four singles from the over. SL-83/0 after 11 overs. Kusal Perera is on 39 off 30, while Dimuth Karunaratne is on 25 off 36.
3:45 PM IST: Mujeeb Ur Rahman on with his third over. Three singles from it. But Sri Lanka have scored their highest Power-play score since April 2015. SL-79/0 after ten overs.
3:41 PM IST: Another brilliant over from experienced off-spinner Mohammad Nabi. Just five runs from his second -- three singles and a double. SL-76/0 after nine overs.
3:37 PM IST: Mujeeb Ur Rahman on with his second over. Nine runs from it, with Kusal Perera hitting the second and third balls for fours. SL-71/0 after eight overs.
3:33 PM IST: Bowling change from both the ends. Mohammad Nabi on with his first over. Just three from it. SL-62/0 after seven overs.
3:30 PM IST: Bowling change. Offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman and a good start from the youngster. Three singles, then two dots. But the over ends with a four as Dimuth Karunaratne finds his third boundary. SL-59/0 after six overs.
3:26 PM IST: Rain warning, few drops. And it may soon rain. Dawlat Zadran on with his third over. And fifty for Sri Lanka, with a four to fine leg off the fifth ball. Leg byes. Big over. 15 runs from it, which included a four, five wides and four leg byes. SL-52/0 after five overs.
3:20 PM IST: Another very expensive over from Hamid Hassan. 16 runs from his second, with Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Perera hitting a four each. There were five wides too. SL-37/0 after four overs.
3:15 PM IST: Dawlat Zadran, the experienced right-arm pacer continued with his second over. Just one run from the over, a single off the second ball by Kusal Perera. SL-21/0 after three overs.
3:10 PM IST: Lankan openers are showing the intention. Kusal Perera hit the first ball of the second over, bowled by right-arm pacer Hamid Hassan for a four, then ran three. It was followed by a glorious straight drive for another four. 15 runs from the over. SL-20/0 after two overs.
3:05 PM IST: Testing first over for Dimuth Karunaratne. Four dots then a wide, then a four to fine leg. Five runs from the over.
3:01 PM IST: Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Perera opened the innings for Sri Lanka, while Dawlat Zadran opened the attack. First ball to Karunaratne.
2:50 PM IST: In their only World Cup meeting in 2015, Afghans gave Lankans a mighty scare before Thisara Perera came the former champions' rescue, with a 26-ball 47. Target Afghans set as 232.
2:42 PM IST: Captains speak
Gulbadin Naib, Afghanistan: The conditions are good for the bowlers. It's a good toss to win. We put a good total, but that wasn't enough against a team like Australia. I'm not looking at the past records. Sri Lanka is a champion side. If you play good cricket, the result will go your side. No changes.
Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka: In the last game also we batted first, now we know how the conditions will play. The batsmen have an idea how to score big runs here. It's not a 300 wicket here. Jeevan Mendis is not playing. Pradeep is playing.
2:31 PM IST: Toss: Afghanistan have won the toss, and will bowl first against Sri Lanka.
1:45 PM IST: So, who starts as the favourites? Sri Lanka, of course. But their recent form has been patchy, and against an Afghanistan side which defeated Pakistan in a warm-up game, they will need their A-game.
1:24 PM IST: There's something very special about Cardiff, and HERE are some easy to do day trips.
1:19 PM IST: Players to watch out for
Afghanistan - Rahmat Shah, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Shahzad, Rashid Khan
Sri Lanka - Lasith Malinga, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera
1:05 PM IST: Here's how you can watch the match.
12:38 PM IST: What Happened Yesterday
Pakistan produced an inspired performance to shock pre-tournament favourites and hosts England after scoring 348/8. England, despite two century makers in their ranks, came short by 14 runs at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. And here's how things stand now:
12:35 PM IST: Afghanistan and Sri Lanka eye their first win of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 when they lock horns in a battle of two lowest-ranks teams at the Sophia Gardens, Cardiff on Tuesday.
Both the teams have started their campaign with heavy losses on June 1 – Sri Lanka losing to New Zealand by 10 wickets in Cardiff while Afghanistan suffering a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of defending champions Australia in Bristol. And, another defeat can prove detrimental to their respective World Cup campaigns.
Despite the result, there were plenty of positives for Afghanistan. They fought back from 77/5 down after losing opening batsmen Mohammad Shahzad and Hazratullah Zazai for ducks. Their performance against the most successful ODI side in the history of the game was a spirited one. And that's what they are looking to do again against former World Champions Sri Lanka.
In contrast, there were plenty of issues for Sri Lanka in their humiliating defeat to the Kiwis. First, they were bowled out for just 136 runs, they failed to make a fight, succumbing meekly to their rivals. Their lone bright spot was skipper Dimuth Karunaratne's half-century. Now, they can afford another below-par performance, at least against an Afghan side which is known to punch above their weight.
Squads
Afghanistan: Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Gulbadin Naib (c), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Hamid Hassan, Aftab Alam, Samiullah Shinwari, Asghar Afghan, Noor Ali Zadran
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Kusal Perera (wk), Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Avishka Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nuwan Pradeep, Milinda Siriwardana
