5:54pm Right. That will be that from us for this game. In a couple of days' time, these teams will be at it again - this time, with the series on the line. Do join us then too. Until next time, this is me (Shashwat) signing off on behalf of Madushka, Sudeep and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo! Goodbye and take care!

Dasun Shanaka, Sri Lanka captain: (Difference between this game and the first ODI) To be honest, our approach was the same. To play with positive intent is the main goal. The wicket today was better - the ball was not swinging and it was coming onto the bat. We knew with the partnerships we had, we were going to score big today. Toss is important as well but at the end of the day, the toss does not define whether we would win or lose. It is the skills that make it happen. (On batting in the death overs) We did not play on these type of pitches - here, it is different, so, credit must go to the ground staff as well. Our top four fired today and this is the way we should bat. Wanindu and myself ended well. (On Chameera) He is bowling with that intent and he has the skills to play white-ball cricket, and that is what is most important. At any time, we should have a player like that in our team. (On possible changes for the last ODI) It is totally up to the selectors, the coach and myself. We need to win the series before going into the qualifiers. We are trying different things and we are yet to decide (on the combination).

Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan captain: (What went wrong) Our fielding and the way we bowled the last few overs. It sometimes happens. Everyone is trying their best but sometimes, it does not go according to the plan. The batting line-up is improving day by day and we will try to come back stronger. (On the toss) I think the pitch was not very difficult in the second innings also. 30 extra runs that Sri Lanka made against us meant that the pressure was on us and that was the main point. Hopefully we will have him (Rashid Khan) available in the next match.

Dhananjaya de Silva, Player of the Match: (On his role) Last series we played in Sri Lanka, I was batting up the order. I am enjoying (this new role). When I am bowling, my role is to support Wanindu and Maheesh and to keep the batters under pressure. (On the pitch) It is getting slower and slower.

Stick around as we bring the post-match presentation to you in a short while!

5:34pm Well, that turned into a fairly one-sided contest in the end - Sri Lanka's biggest over Afghanistan in ODIs (in terms of runs). They set the tone with the ball in the powerplay, with Chameera accounting for Gurbaz early. Afghanistan could never really get going and once the required run-rate zinged up to more than eight runs per over, they were always playing catch-up. The hosts' spinners also came into their own in the middle overs. de Silva bagged three, while Hasaranga also popped up with a three-wicket haul. In short, this was the sort of display Sri Lanka needed, especially after losing the opening game convincingly.

As for Afghanistan, this was a bad day at the office overall. Their bowing was not quite up to scratch and they struggled for rhythm with the bat. Skipper Shahidi was the only batter who looked comfortable at the crease and while Ibrahim Zadran also notched up a fifty, he was not at his free-flowing best. The visitors now have a couple of days to reflect on this loss, pick themselves up and ready themselves for the decider on Wednesday.

42.1
W
Theekshana to Azmatullah Omarzai, OUT, Sri Lanka win by 132 runs! Full delivery outside off stump that pitches and moves away. Omarzai is trying to smash this into the ocean but loses his shape completely. He slices it off the outer half of the bat and long off settles under it, completing the catch with the minimal of fuss!

Azmatullah Omarzai c Shanaka b Theekshana 28 (36m 31b 4x4 1x6) SR: 90.32

END OF OVER:
42 | (wicket maiden) | AFG: 191/9 (133 runs required from 48 balls, RR: 4.54, RRR: 16.62)

  • Fazalhaq Farooqi0 (4b)
  • Azmatullah Omarzai28 (30b)
  • Wanindu Hasaranga9-2-42-3
  • Maheesh Theekshana7-0-35-0
41.6
0
PW Hasaranga to Fazalhaq Farooqi, no run, wrong'un on a back of a length outside off. Farooqi picks it well enough and keeps it out
41.5
0
PW Hasaranga to Fazalhaq Farooqi, no run, flighted up delivery that ends up as a full toss outside off. Farooqi taps it towards short extra cover
41.4
0
PW Hasaranga to Fazalhaq Farooqi, no run, back of a length delivery at the stumps. Farooqi defends it solidly
41.3
0
PW Hasaranga to Fazalhaq Farooqi, no run, googly on a back of a length on off stump. Farooqi gets behind the line of the ball and presents the full face of the bat

Farooqi is the last batter in

41.2
W
PW Hasaranga to Fareed Ahmad, OUT, knocks him over with a ripper! Flighted beautifully on a length just outside off stump. The ball dips devilishly too and Fareed, trying to fence at it, gets nowhere close to the pitch of the ball. Leaves a gap between bat and pad and the ball goes through it comfortably before smashing into the stumps!

Fareed Ahmad b PW Hasaranga 0 (11m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

41.1
0
PW Hasaranga to Fareed Ahmad, no run, full delivery just outside off stump. Fareed camps deep in his crease and defends right under his eyes

Hasaranga to continue from around the wicket to Fareed

Afghanistan in Sri Lanka 2023 News

Afghanistan 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st11Ibrahim ZadranRahmanullah Gurbaz
2nd51Rahmat ShahIbrahim Zadran
3rd84Hashmatullah ShahidiIbrahim Zadran
4th11Hashmatullah ShahidiNajibullah Zadran
5th3Mohammad NabiHashmatullah Shahidi
6th0Hashmatullah ShahidiAzmatullah Omarzai
7th9Azmatullah OmarzaiNoor Ahmad
8th0Azmatullah OmarzaiMujeeb Ur Rahman
9th22Fareed AhmadAzmatullah Omarzai
10th0Azmatullah OmarzaiFazalhaq Farooqi