Afghanistan v Sri Lanka
Wisden's review of the 12th match, Afghanistan v Sri Lanka
15-Apr-2016
At Dunedin, February 22, 2015. Sri Lanka won by four wickets. Toss: Sri Lanka.
Dunedin is said to have only five Afghan families, but the locals adopted the underdogs, flourishing Afghan flags and imploring them to overcome Sri Lanka. They might have managed it but for Jayawardene's magisterial century - his 19th in one-day internationals and, it turned out, his last. Even having his bat snapped in two by a delivery from Shapoor Zadran did not perturb an innings full of magnificent drives and nonchalant flicks. Yet, when Jayawardene steered Hamid Hassan into the hands of third man, Sri Lanka still needed 55 from 52 balls, with only four wickets in hand. Afghanistan scented a famous win, but that was reckoning without Tissara Perera, who scythed his first ball through backward point and finished with a brutal unbeaten 47 off 26. Afghanistan's bowlers had created early mayhem: with Sri Lanka chasing a modest 233, Thirimanne was lbw to the first delivery of the reply, from Dawlat Zadran, and only an inaccurate throw saved Sangakkara from a run-out in the same over. A lifter from Shapoor then accounted for Dilshan - both openers gone first ball, for only the second time in one-day internationals, after Zimbabwe against West Indies in Georgetown in May 2006. Hassan became the third Afghan to strike in his opening over, castling Sangakkara with a lavish inswinger and celebrating with a cartwheel. Eighteen for three became 51 for four when Karunaratne nicked Hassan to slip, and Sri Lanka needed something special. (Soon afterwards, Hassan pulled up with discomfort in his left boot, and swapped it with Shapoor's.) Jayawardene, adding 126 with the circumspect Mathews - who survived another run-out chance before facing a ball - provided it. After a run-a-ball fifty from Asghar Stanikzai, Afghanistan had frittered away a position of 157 for three in the 33rd over. Nabi's heave off Malinga launched a lamentable batting powerplay, which brought only ten runs. TIM WIGMORE
Man of the Match: D. P. M. D. Jayawardene
Dunedin is said to have only five Afghan families, but the locals adopted the underdogs, flourishing Afghan flags and imploring them to overcome Sri Lanka. They might have managed it but for Jayawardene's magisterial century - his 19th in one-day internationals and, it turned out, his last. Even having his bat snapped in two by a delivery from Shapoor Zadran did not perturb an innings full of magnificent drives and nonchalant flicks. Yet, when Jayawardene steered Hamid Hassan into the hands of third man, Sri Lanka still needed 55 from 52 balls, with only four wickets in hand. Afghanistan scented a famous win, but that was reckoning without Tissara Perera, who scythed his first ball through backward point and finished with a brutal unbeaten 47 off 26. Afghanistan's bowlers had created early mayhem: with Sri Lanka chasing a modest 233, Thirimanne was lbw to the first delivery of the reply, from Dawlat Zadran, and only an inaccurate throw saved Sangakkara from a run-out in the same over. A lifter from Shapoor then accounted for Dilshan - both openers gone first ball, for only the second time in one-day internationals, after Zimbabwe against West Indies in Georgetown in May 2006. Hassan became the third Afghan to strike in his opening over, castling Sangakkara with a lavish inswinger and celebrating with a cartwheel. Eighteen for three became 51 for four when Karunaratne nicked Hassan to slip, and Sri Lanka needed something special. (Soon afterwards, Hassan pulled up with discomfort in his left boot, and swapped it with Shapoor's.) Jayawardene, adding 126 with the circumspect Mathews - who survived another run-out chance before facing a ball - provided it. After a run-a-ball fifty from Asghar Stanikzai, Afghanistan had frittered away a position of 157 for three in the 33rd over. Nabi's heave off Malinga launched a lamentable batting powerplay, which brought only ten runs. TIM WIGMORE
Man of the Match: D. P. M. D. Jayawardene