Afghanistan got a dream start in the Asia Cup 2018 in United Arab Emirates (UAE) after beating the five-time Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka by 91 runs in the Group B game at Sheikh Zayed Stadium (Abu Dhabi) on Monday. With that defeat, Sri Lanka finished their journey in this tournament while Afghanistan has advanced with Bangladesh in the next round (Super Four).

Afghanistan skipper Asghar Afghan didn’t hesitate to decide the bat first after winning the toss. The top-order batsmen controlled the innings very well as the top three batsmen Mohammad Shahzad (34), Ihsanullah (45) and Rahmat Shah (72) played fine innings along with the no.5 batsman Hashmatullah Shahidi’s 37-run knock.

The next batsmen played small cameos in the last moments that helped Afghanistan to manage a fighting total of 249 runs before getting all-out on the final ball of that innings.

Sri Lankan pacer Thisara Perera picked up five wickets with the figure of 9-0-55-5 while Akila Dananjaya (2/39) got two wickets. Also, Lasith Malinga (1/66), Dushmantha Chameera (1/43) and Shehan Jayasuriya (1/22) claimed one wicket each.

Sri Lanka had a poor reply along with the misery running between the wickets. Apart from the 54-run second wicket partnership between the opener Upul Tharanga and Dhananjaya de Silva, Sri Lanka lost their wickets in regular intervals. Finally, they were bundled out for just 158 runs (41.2) where Tharanga (36) was the only batsman to reach the 20-run marks.

Among the Afghanistan bowlers, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2/32), Gulbadin Naib (2/29), Mohammed Nabi (2/30) and Rashid Khan (2/26) all bagged two wickets each to seal the historic 91-run victory.

Afghanistan batsman Rahmat Shah won the Player of the Match award for his brilliant batting performance of 72 runs.

Brief Scores: Afghanistan – 249 in 50 overs (Rahmat Shah 72, Ihsanullah 45; Thisara Perera 5/55)

Sri Lanka – 158 in 41.2 overs (Upul Tharanga 36, Thisara Perera 28; Rashid Khan 2/26)

Result – Afghanistan won by 91 runs

Important stats highlights of the match:

• Sri Lankan pacer Thisara Perera had a bowling figure of 9-0-55-5. It is the second best bowling figure by a Sri Lankan pacer in the Asia Cup history outside the Sri Lankan soil. The record is 9.5-0-52-5 by Lasith Malinga against Pakistan at Fatullah on February 25, 2014.
• Afghanistan won this match by 91 runs. It is their second victory in the Asia Cup history. Their maiden Asia Cup victory was against Bangladesh by 32 runs at Fatullah on March 1, 2014. Also, it was Afghanistan’s first victory against Sri Lanka in their international cricket history.
• Sri Lanka lost this match by 91 runs. It was their second largest defeat (by runs) in the Asia Cup history. The record is losing by 137 runs against Bangladesh in the previous game of this Asia Cup.
• After the Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka match in the opening game of this tournament, this Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka match was also observed two all-out innings. It is the first time in the Asia Cup history when more than one match of an edition was observed both bundled out innings of a match. In overall, it was the seventh time in the Asia Cup history where both teams were bowled out in a match.
• A total of eight batsmen were dismissed through bowled which are the joint second number of bowled dismissals in an Asia Cup match history (eight bowled dismissals during the India vs Pakistan game at Dhaka on October 31, 1988). The record is nine bowled dismissals during the match between Bangladesh and Pakistan at Dhaka on March 11, 2012.