Afghanistan secured their third World Cup victory by defeating Sri Lanka by seven wickets in Pune. This win keeps their chances alive for a spot in the semi-finals.
Chasing a target of 242, Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi formed an unbeaten partnership of 111 runs, with Omarzai scoring 73 not out and Shahidi contributing 58 not out.
This victory marked Afghanistan’s first-ever back-to-back wins in the World Cup, following their triumph over Pakistan by eight wickets. They had already defeated reigning champions England earlier in the tournament.
Afghanistan’s pacer, Fazalhaq Farooqi, was the star performer with the ball, taking four wickets for just 34 runs. Sri Lanka struggled to reach a below-par total of 241 on a relatively easy-paced pitch.
Despite the pitch not offering much assistance, Afghanistan’s spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2/38) and Rashid Khan (1/50) showcased their skills, putting pressure on in-form Sri Lankan batters Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama during the match at MCA Stadium.
Sri Lanka’s batting struggled to find momentum as they were asked to bat first. Despite minimal assistance from the MCA Stadium pitch, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Rashid Khan, who was playing his 100th ODI, bowled with precision and varying pace throughout the 50 overs.
