World Cup 2023
\nShah was key to Afghanistan\u2019s run chase as right-handed batter played important knock of 62 runs
\nISLAMABAD
\nIn yet another victory, Afghanistan on Monday crushed Sri Lanka by seven wickets in a comfortable run chase in the 30th match of the ICC World Cup 2023 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune, India.
\nHashmatullah Shahidi\u2019s men recorded back-to-back wins for the first time in the history of the tournament, as before this year\u2019s mega event, they had only one victory in two World Cups \u2014 2015 and 2019.
\nJust like their last victory against Pakistan, where they chased down 282 with eight wickets to spare, the Afghans played with remarkable temperament and didn\u2019t play rash and sloppy shots.
\nEven though they met with an early blow as in-form batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz was removed by Dilshan Madushanka in the first over, Rahmat Shah and Ibrahim Zardan provided the much-needed stability to their batting.
\nShah was the key to Afghanistan\u2019s run chase as the right-handed batter played an important knock of 62 runs off 74 balls with seven fours.
\nAfter Shah was removed by Kasun Rajitha, skipper Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzi built a match-winning partnership of 111 runs and cruised their side to an important win.
\nShahidi scored 58 runs while Omarzai contributed 72 runs as they helped their side chase down the 242-run target in 45.2 overs.
\nBatting first, Sri Lankan batters were troubled by Afghanistan\u2019s bowlers as none of the single batters, other than Pathum Nissanka who scored 46 runs, could manage to score big.
\nAfghanistani bowlers kept taking wickets at regular intervals and were soon all out for 241 runs.
\nKusal Mendis (39) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (36) were the top second and third top scorers for the Islanders.
\nFazalhaq Farooqi was the pick of the bowlers for the Afghan as the left-handed pacer caused all kinds of troubles for Kusal Mendis\u2019 men and took four wickets for 34 runs in 10 overs.
\nAfghanistan will now take on the Netherlands on November 3 in Lucknow, which will be an important match for Shahidi\u2019s men as they will look to remain alive in the race to the semi-final.
\nMeanwhile, Sri Lanka will play the unbeaten India side on November 2 in Mumbai.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
World Cup 2023 Shah was key to Afghanistan\u2019s run chase as right-handed batter played important knock of 62 runs ISLAMABAD In yet another victory, Afghanistan on Monday crushed Sri Lanka by seven wickets in a comfortable run chase in the 30th match of the ICC World Cup 2023 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":365079,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-365071","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n