Afghanistan In The Semi-finals Of Under-19 Cricket World Cup
Afghanistan in the semi-finals of Under-19 Cricket World Cup: Sri Lankan team could not achieve the target of 135 runs.
In the ICC Under-19 World Cup, Afghanistan defeated Sri Lanka by 4 runs in a thrilling match of the Super League quarter-finals to reach the semi-finals.
The Sri Lankan team could not achieve the target of only 135 runs. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field at Coolidge Cricket Ground.
Afghanistan’s team started slow, in the 11th over, the team got its first blow. Then the team’s score was 24 runs. Opener Bilal Saeedi was dismissed by Traveen Mathew.
Nangelia Kharote also went back to the pavilion in the very next over.
After this, captain Suleiman Safi became LBW after scoring just one run, then the Afghanistan team was in trouble. Ejaz Ahmedzai also got out for a duck.
After this Abdul Hadi took over the team. The left-handed batsman managed to score 37 runs with the help of four fours. He was stumped by Dunith Velalez.
After this Vinjua Ranpul dismissed Afghanistan’s tail batsmen cheaply. He took five wickets for only ten runs. Afghanistan was all out for 134 runs.
In reply, the Sri Lankan team did not start well. Opener Sadisha Rajapaksa was dismissed for a duck in the first over and was replaced by Chevon Daniels for two runs by Bilal Sami.
After 13 overs, the situation of Sri Lanka was very bad.
The crisis deepened after the dismissal of Ranuda Somarathane. The eight-wicket partnership between its captain Velez and Raveen de Silva looked like the team would win the match.
Both took Sri Lanka to 112 from seven for 43. Kharote then took the crucial wicket of the captain and Raveen was followed by Naveed.
Sri Lanka needed five runs to win when Mathew was run out and the team lost the match.
Afghanistan will now take on England in the first Super League semi-final at the Sir Viv Richards Cricket Ground on 1 February.