Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka, 7th Match, Super Four at Sharjah, Asia Cup, Sep 03 2022 - Match Result

If you want to relive all the action from tonight in more detail, Sreshth's report is already up. And if you thought today was great, you know what tomorrow is, yes it's India vs Pakistan, so be sure to join us for all the action and analysis. But on that note it's a wrap from us. For Sreshth, Thilak and myself, it's good night!

Ashish: "Game against India is on Monday or Tuesday? If you are saying Monday then India is playing pak and sl back to back days. Seems a bit illogical in a Mukti nation tournament." Apologies, yes the game is in fact on Tuesday. Original comment has been amended.

JOYDEEPSINGHGIL: "It's a quite tournament for Afghanistan because they're gonna play with Pakistan n India in this tournament who would've thought before the start of the tournament afg could've done that brilliant cricket by them "

The Player of the Match, unsurprisingly, is Rahmanullah Gurbaz: "Of course disappointed with the result, but that's cricket. We were short 25 runs or so, cos the wicket wasn't that difficult. I just tried to do my best, but I think the way we finished in the final overs wasn't good. Playing franchise cricket has helped a lot, because of how we train to compete in those big competitions. We hope to take the form from here to the World Cup as well."

Winning Captain Dasun Shanaka: "It's the belief of the dressing room, we believe we can chase anything in these kinds of wickets. We can always analyse the wicket better when chasing. There was a plan coming into this game, we know they have good batters, but the boys executed the plans really well. As I mentioned in the toss, partnerships was the key to winning the game. We had spoken about that, and now we now how to approach matches and win games."

Najibullah Zadran getting the Catch of the Match award for his incredible work on the boundary line to dismiss Dasun Shanaka.

Losing Captain Mohammed Nabi: We were about 20-25 runs short, and also we didn't field well or bowl in the right areas. It's a better pitch today than the one we played on against Bangladesh, which is why I said we were a few runs short. We didn't bowl brilliantly, but we bowled really well. We dropped some catches, which if we took the game would have been different."

Alright presentation ceremony almost underway...

Prithvi : "SL should only make 1 change to this team. Play Rajapaksha at No.3 and Aslanka at no.5. Rajapaksha is too good a player to come at no.5 in T20Is and he played pretty well in IPL at No.3" Considering his [Bhanuka's] particular skillset, perhaps a floating role suits him best.

Kasun Udana: "Many are talking about Afghanistan's missed chances cost them the match. Then what about that reprieve of Gurbaz at he was 5. It's SL's death bowling that won them the match. Not merely the luck." Yes, luck definitely does go both ways, in the end it's all about how you capitalise on those moments of good fortune.

Analyst : "Good win for SL, as this Afghanistan team can beat any team in this format. Also good to the Asia Cup very competitive, previously it has always been either India, SL, Pak winning the cup. The stats on the winners do not lie.. SL death bowing good today by the very young fast bowlers. Mine when the experience papers come back KJP, Avishka, possibly Matthews. A fairly good team will sl have in this format "

Bhanuka Rajapaksa: "Wicket seemed quite good with the way they batted, we just needed to be a bit cautious when the spinners came into play. In the IPL I can bat at three, but to strengthen the middle order I was put at five. It's a floating role, but I like it. It was very embarrassing for us to get out for 105, so we wanted to put our hands up and show the nation we weren't as bad as that."

9.40pm So Sri Lanka get a measure of redemption against Afghanistan after that opening game trouncing, and they do it in style completing the highest ever chase on this ground and the highest ever chase against Afghanistan in T20s. After their bowlers had done brilliantly to claw Afghanistan back in the death, the batters kept pace with Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis giving a solid platform at the top, before cameos from Danushka Gunathilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Wanindu Hasaranga sealed the win. Afghanistan though will wonder what could have been, after they had more than their fair share of chances to put the game to bed. First their batters couldn't capitalise in the death overs, and then in the field it was a mixed bag with great fielding mixed with many drops. Sri Lanka won't mind though, and this will give them a load of confidence going into the game against India on Tuesday.

Surya: "Deepak, To be frank, Afghanistan lost the game when they failed to review Danushka Gunathilaka's LBW the last ball of 11th over. And then dropped a few catches and the game. They still had 2 reviews left. Just why didn't they review?" Lots of 'ifs' in hindsight.

He gets several pats on the back as he makes his way to the dressing room.

8 needed from 12 now, Sri Lanka can do this in singles.

Deepak: "Afghan lost this game in 17th and 19th over of their batting when theekshana bolwed those two over for 8 runs.. else it would have been a. 190 chase and things would have been different.."

Nader Abbas: "This is most competitive Asia cup tournament without any doubt!"

theskykisser: "Did Rashid get into Danushka's head there? " Yeah there was some afters after the reverse sweep at the start of that over. Definitely might have played a role in that stroke.

Rashid with his most expensive figures ever in the UAE.

Srashta : "Bhanuka! You beauty - the only popular Rajapaksa in SL right now:)"

Wanindu Hasaranga enters the field.

Ayoub Aryoub : "Catches win matches. Two catches missed"

Mahmood: "Sami, you dropped the Asia Cup bro. Wow " And he was just brought in as a sick replacement too. Rough.