Charith Asalanka’s composed knock of 91 stood out amidst Sri Lanka’s inconsistent fur performance in the first ODI against Afghanistan at Hambantota on Friday( June 2). concluding to club first in grueling heavy conditions with a lively pitch, Sri Lanka faced early lapses as comeback man Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis fell to Fazalhaq Farooqui’s movement with the new ball. Indeed the generally reliable Pathum Nissanka and Angelo Mathews departed snappily, leaving the hosts vulnerable at84/4.
still, the cooperation between Dhananjaya de Silva and Asalanka revived Sri Lanka’s innings, adding 99 runs for the fifth gate as the pitch gradationally eased out. Just when Sri Lanka hoped for an acceleration, de Silva decomposed to a loose shot off Nabi. commander Dasun Shanaka started well but failed to convert, analogous to some other elderly players, leaving Asalanka with the responsibility of guiding the lower order.
Fortunately, Asalanka set up support in debutant Dushan Hemantha, who contributed with a precious 48- run cooperation. Sri Lanka aimed for a strong finish, but Hemantha’s redundancy , followed by Asalanka’s misstep in retaining strike, redounded in a collapse in the final nine deliveries, yielding only five runs and losing four lattices.
piecemeal from the surprisingly erratic Noor Ahmad, the Afghanistan bowlers executed their plans effectively, limiting Sri Lanka to a slightly below- par total considering the decreasingly favorable fur conditions.
detail scores Sri Lanka 268 all out in 50 overs( Asalanka 91, de Silva 51, Fareed 2- 43, Farooqi 2- 58).
