September 05, 2023 16:54
6
SL 167/3 in 30 overs
Farooqi to Mendis. A single after Mendis runs down the first delivery to third man. Asalanka punches to sweeper cover to add a run to his tally. SIX! SAILS OVER THE FINE LEG FENCE! Itis a short delivery and Mendis pull gets a top edge. Two more singles from the over.
SL 157/3 in 29 overs
Karim Janat into the attack for the first time today. Quick running. Mendis drives with soft hands and completes a single before mid off can get to the ball. Asalanka gets a run with a clip to deep square. A wide from Janat. Mendis cuts a delivery outside off stump to get the fouth run of the over.
September 05, 2023 16:43
50
SL 153/3 in 28 overs
Fazalhaq Farooqi is back into the attack. Two runs off the first delivery as Mendis works the ball wide of third man. Beaten! Tries to chase a wider delivery and cannot get a connection. FOUR! Driven past covers and Mendis gets to his 50. 150 up for Sri Lanka! A flick to square leg to get off strike. CHANCE! Asalanka slaps to deep cover and wants to come back for a second. A dive saves him in the end at the striker’s end.
September 05, 2023 16:38
4
SL 144/3 in 27 overs
Rashid Khan to Mendis. FOUR! Mendis steps out and chips the ball on the on side. It clears the infield and runs to the fence. FOUR more! This time Mendis clips a delivery on the pads past short mid wicket. Pulled away to the fence. This one is short and Mendis dispatches it behind square. A single on the fourth to deep cover and Mendis moves on 45. Asalanka defends and picks a single by the time the point fielder collects the ball. Again a short delivery but Mendis pull is straight at the fielder this time. 15 runs from the over.
SL 129/3 in 26 overs
Nabi to Asalanka. A single with an inside edge to square leg. Mendis defends a good length delivery. Pushes the next one to long on. Asalanka drives to long off on the fifth delivery. Mendis clips the final delivery to deep mid wicket to make it four in the over.
SL 125/3 in 25 overs
Rashid continues. We are into the 25th over and there hasn’t been much assistance for spinners so far. However, the Afghan bowlers have bowled tremendously well to keep the scoring rate in control. Four off the over.
SL 121/3 in 24 overs
Nabi bowling his seventh over. Keeping it simple with his wicket-to-wicket lines. Four runs off that over.
SL 117/3 in 23 overs
Rashid Khan continues with his leg spin. Sri Lanka batters to happy to run around for singles. Just four runs off the over.
SL 113/3 in 22 overs
Nabi continues. Just two runs off the over. Another tight over.
September 05, 2023 16:20
4
SL 111/3 in 21 overs
Change in bowling. Rashid Khan is into the attack now. Half-tracker, and Mendis places it towards midwicket for four. A very well timed shot. Eight runs off the over.
September 05, 2023 16:17
4
SL 103/3 in 20 overs
Nabi bowling his fifth over. He concedes first four off his bowling today. Asalanka slog sweeps it towards deep midwicket. Seven runs off the over.
September 05, 2023 16:13
4
SL 96/3 in 19 overs
Naib bowling his seventh over. Mendis pushes it towards covers, the fielder at deep does it well to save the four but the batters run three runs anway. Naib induces and edge off Asalanka’s bat but the ball goes in between the first slip and the deep third fielder for four. Eight from the over.
SL 88/3 in 18 overs
Nabi into his fourth over. Asalanka gets off the mark with a single. Just two runs off that over.
September 05, 2023 16:02
W
SL 86/3 in 17 overs
Naib now bowling his sixth over on the trot. OUT! Third wicket for Naib. Samarawickrama edges it to keeper. Length ball and he tried to guide but gets a faint edge. Sri Lanka loses three wickets in quick succession.
This has been a terrific spell and turnaround by Afghanistan after PowerPlay.
Samarawickrama c Gurbaz b Gulbadin 3(8)
Charith Asalanka comes to the crease. Just one run and a wicket in that over.
SL 85/2 in 16 overs
Nabi continues and continues to bowl the dot balls. Very tight bowling by the experienced Afghan here. Nothing on offer. Just three runs from it.
September 05, 2023 15:53
W
SL 82/2 in 15 overs
Naib into his fifth over. Boundary after four overs! Nissanka tucks it towards fine leg. The fielder at the boundary slides and saves it but his leg touches the ropes. OUT! Nissanka smashes the ball straight to point fielder. Second wicket for Naib. Both the openers are now out.
Nissanka c Najibullah b Gulbadin 41(40)
Sadeera Samarawickrama joins Mendis at the crease. Seven runs and a wicket in that over.
SL 75/1 in 14 overs
Nabi continues. Last four overs, the bowlers have made sure to stick with wicket-to-wicket lines. Field being spread has also helped in gaining control. Four runs from the over.
SL 71/1 in 13 overs
Naib continues. Boundaries have dried up in the last two overs. Mendis and Nissanka happy to deal in singles and doubles. Three runs off the over.
SL 68/1 in 12 overs
Mohammad Nabi comes into the attack with his off-spin. Not much help from the surface to spinners so far, or for bowlers in general. Three runs from the over.
September 05, 2023 15:36
W
SL 65/1 in 11 overs
Terrific start for Sri Lanka.
Naib continues. OUT! Slow ball, on length, Karunaratne plays it early and the ball goes straight into the hands of the cover fielder. End of a terrific opening stand between Karunaratne and Nissanka.
Karunaratne c Nabi b Gulbadin 32(35)
Kusal Mendis comes in at number three. He gets off the mark with a double towards fine leg. Three runs and a wicket in that over.
September 05, 2023 15:33
4
SL 62/0 in 10 overs
Mujeeb into his fifth over. Another boundary. Length ball and Nissanka guides it, almost sweeps it, towards backward square leg for four. Six runs off the over and that’s the end of the first PowerPlay.
September 05, 2023 15:29
4
SL 56/0 in 9 overs
Naib continues with his gentle medium pace. Karunaratne gets a length ball and opportunity to open his arms, and he places the ball towards point for four. That brings up fifty runs for Sri Lanka as well. Seven runs off the over.
September 05, 2023 15:26
4
SL 49/0 in 8 overs
Mujeeb continues with his off-spin. Another four. Nissanka finds a drivable length and places it towards covers for four. Six runs off the over.
September 05, 2023 15:22
4
SL 43/0 in 7 overs
Change in bowling. Gulbadin Naib into the attack. A bit of width on the length, Nissanka punches it towards extra covers. A biit of misfield but the batters run only a single. Length ball, on the hips and Karunaratne guides it for four towards square leg to end the over.
SL 38/0 in 6 overs
Mujeeb continues. A quiet over this by the off-spinner. Stuck to wicket-to-wicket lines. Just two runs off it.
September 05, 2023 15:16
4
SL 36/0 in 5 overs
Half-volley by Farooqi and Nissanka starts the fifth over with a cover drive for four. Farooqi comes round the wicket, half-tracker on the pads and Nissanka pulls it for four towards fine leg. Width on offer, and Nissanka smashes it away for third boundary of the over, this time towards covers.
September 05, 2023 15:13
4
SL 24/0 in 4 overs
Rahman continues. Short and wide, Nissanka smacks it towards extra covers, slight misfield and two runs gifted to the Sri Lankan score. No spin on offer so far. A cover driven for four to end the over by Karunaratne.
3rd over
Farooqi continues with his left-arm pace. Terrific over there. Maiden. Hint of seam, not a lot though.
September 05, 2023 15:05
4
SL 15/0 in 2 overs
Early introduction of spin. Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman into the attack in the second over. Flat and width on offer and Karunaratne slashes it for four. Six runs off the over.
September 05, 2023 15:01
4
SL 9/0 in 1 over
Fazalhaq Farooqi with the new ball. Length ball by Faroogi, width on offer, and Karunaratne punches it for four towards covers. Full on pads and Karunaratne flicks it for four towards midwicket. A good start for Sri Lanka. Nine from off the over.
All set!
We are done with the national anthems. Players are all set to take the field. Sri Lankan openers Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne have entered. Afghanistan team is in a huddle.
Not only a must-win game for Afghanistan but it needs to win by a huge margin to qualify for the next stage.
Sri Lanka only needs to avoid a huge defeat here.
AFG vs SL: Head-to-head records
In ODIs
Played - 10 | Sri Lanka - 6 | Afghanistan - 3 | No result - 1
Playing XIs
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis(w), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dasun Shanaka(c), Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Kasun Rajitha
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Toss update
Sri Lanka has won the toss and opts to bat.
Sri Lanka makes no changes in the playing XI; same team for Afghanistan as well.
A warm welcome at the Gaddafi Stadium
Weather in Lahore
It is sunny in Lahore and there is little to no chance of rain playing any spoilsport in today’s game.
Asia Cup 2023 points table
Afghanistan will need a big win over Sri Lanka today to up its net run rate and qualify for the super four stage. Meanwhile for Sri Lanka, a win here will confirm its place in the next stage.
Asia Cup 2023 points table: India qualifies for Super 4 with win vs Nepal; Pakistan, Bangladesh through
AFG vs SL D11 team
Wicketkeepers: Kusal Mendis
Batters: Ibrahim Zadran, Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne
All rounders: Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Mohammad Nabi
Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana
Team Composition: SL 7-4 AFG | Credits Left: 10
Live streaming
The Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Asia Cup 2023 match will be telecast live on the Star Sports network and will be streamed live on the Disney+ Hotstar app.
Welcome
Welcome to the live coverage of the last group match of the Asia Cup 2023 between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. Stay tuned for the live updates.
