World T20, Highlights: Tillakaratne Dilshan's Unbeaten Fifty Powers Sri Lanka to Six-Wicket Win vs Afghanistan
Afghanistan won the toss and courtesy captain Asghar Stanikzai, posted 153/7. After a few hiccups in the middle Tillakaratne Dilshan smashed his 13th T20 fifty to help Sri Lanka reach 155/4 in 18.5 overs. Catch all the highlights of Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan here.
After falling to 43 for seven in 10 overs, Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai hit 62 off 47 balls while Samiullah Shenwari (31 off 14) hit a brilliant cameo to help the Afghans notch 106 off the final 10 overs and post a fighting total. Tillakaratne Dilshan starred for the Lankans, smashing an unbeaten 83 off 56 balls to help his team overhaul the target with seven balls to spare. Catch all the highlights of Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan here (SCORECARD | POINTS TABLE | NEWS | VIDEOS | WHERE TO SEE LIVE STREAMING?)
23:00 hrs IST: Tillakaratne Dilshan: "Two games I had two ducks, but I needed runs going into the big games. I'm really happy that i finished the game. 150 is a good total, this wicket is slow. Later a little dew helped. They had some quality bowlers but we managed very well in the middle. Twos and threes, every wicket we tried to put up a small partnership. Come to these kinds of tournaments, first match is very important that I get some runs. Senior guys need to stand up and do it for the team. The middle order can bat around us."
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22:53 hrs IST: Four!! Full toss and four. That's it. Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan by 6 wickets.
22:52 hrs IST: Sri Lanka are doing it with ones and twos now.
22:50 hrs IST: Four!! Beautiful cover drive from Dilshan yields another boundary.
22:49 hrs IST: Afghanistan must feel they have let go of a golden opportunity to beat the Lankans. At crucial junctures their ground fielding has just been poor.
22:47 hrs IST: Afghan fielding has let them down in this match. Sri Lanka need 11 off 12 balls.
22:45 hrs IST: Four!! Mathews gets an edges and it runs away to the third man boundary. The fielder should have saved it, though.
22:42 hrs IST: Four!! Short and Mathews pounces on it and puts it to the backward square leg. Sri Lanka need 23 off 18 balls
22:41 hrs IST: Six!! Mathews smacks Rashid Khan for a maximum over midwicket. Timely blow from the Lankan captain.
22:38 hrs IST: Four!! Another mis-field gives Lanka a crucial boundary. Sri Lanka need 34 off 24 balls
22:34 hrs IST: WICKET!! Kapugedera run out Nabi 10 (9). Dilshan smashes it back and Nabi deflects the ball to the stumps. Unlucky for Kapugedera!
22:33 hrs IST: Four!! Kapugedera joins the action and pulls a short delivery from Hassan to midwicket. Sri Lanka are 113- after 15 overs. Need 41 off 30 balls!
22:30 hrs IST: Six!! Full toss on leg stump and Dilshan puts its away over square leg.
22:28 hrs IST: Four!! A mis-field by Shafiq at square leg gives Dilshan another boundary. Sri Lanka are 99-3 after 14 overs. Need 55 off 36 balls!!
22:26 hrs IST: Rashid Khan is doing a brilliant job for the Afghans.
22:23 hrs IST: Fifty for Dilshan off 37 balls. 13th half-century for the Sri Lankan stalwart. Sri Lanka are 92-3 after 13 overs.
22:19 hrs IST: WICKET!! Perera run out 12(8). Shahzad with a brilliant throw. Perera looked just in, though, but the third umpire thought otherwise.
22:17 hrs IST: A single to end the over. Sri Lanka are 85-2 after 12 overs.
22:16 hrs IST: Good rotating of strike. Dilshan and Perera are doing well here.
22:13 hrs IST: Four byes!! Bonus boundary for the Lankans. Sri Lanka are 77-2 after 11 overs.
22:12 hrs IST: Shenwari with three dot balls to Dilshan.
22:10 hrs IST: Six!! Perera, who has been promoted goes straight over the top of the bowler for his first maximum. Sri Lanka are 71-2 after 10 overs.
22:09 hrs IST: Dilshan and Perera rotating the strike well.
22:04 hrs IST: WICKET!! Thirimanne b Rashid Khan 6 (13). The left-hander tries another aggressive shot and inside edges it into his stumps. Sri Lanka are 60-2 after 9 overs.
22:02 hrs IST: Four!! Thirimanne sweeps Rashid Khan brilliantly to wide long on.
22:00 hrs IST: Four!! Short and wide from Nabi and Dilshan cuts brilliantly.
21:55 hrs IST: Another great over from Afghanistan. Leg spinner Rashid Khan gives just 3 runs away. Sri Lanka are 44-1 after 7 overs.
21:49 hrs IST: WICKET!! Chandimal c Shafiq b Nabi 18(17). Maiden and a wicket for Nabi. Sri Lanka are 41-1 after 6 overs.
21:47 hrs IST: Quick single to end the over. Sri Lanka are 41-0 after 5 overs.
21:45 hrs IST: Four!! Chandimal this time! Shirt ball from Dawlat and he smashes it to deep midwicket.
21:41 hrs IST: Four!! Full toss and Dilshan flicks it away to the square leg boundary. Sri Lanka are 35-0 after 4 overs.
21:40 hrs IST: Four!! Hassan with a slower ball but Dilshan reads it and slog sweeps it to square leg.
21:39 hrs IST: Dot ball to end the over. Sri Lanka 25-0 after 3 overs.
21:38 hrs IST: Six!! Dilshan with the Dilscoop and it goes over the fine leg boundary for consecutive sixes.
21:37 hrs IST: Six!! Bang!! Dilshan had enough and walked down the pitch and swatted the ball away to a flat six over square leg.
21:35 hrs IST: Dawlat Zadran beats Dilshan for pace! The Lankan opener is finding it hard to get bat to ball.
21:34 hrs IST: Hamid Hassan getting a bit of extra bounce. Good over from the pacer, just two runs. Sri Lanka are 12-0 after 2 overs.
21:30 hrs IST: Six!! Chandimal comes down the track and smashes it over the deep midwicket boundary. Sri Lanka 10-0 after 1 over.
21:29 hrs IST: Four!! Chandimal sweeps brilliantly for the first boundary.
21:27 hrs IST: Sri Lankan openers are Chandimal and Dilshan are out in the middle! Spinner Karim Sadiq to start off proceedings for the Afghans.
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21:07 hrs IST: Double of the final ball. Afghanistan finish with 153-7. Great effort from Stanikzai and the middle order.
21:06 hrs IST: Four!! Same delivery again and Najib smashes that over cover again. Doesn't get the elevation, though.
21:05 hrs IST: Six!! Fulll and wide from Kulasekara and Najib smashes that over the cover boundary for a huge six.
21:01 hrs IST: WICKET!! Stanikzai c Chandimal b Perera 62(47). Tries to paddle scoop but the ball is way too wide, he tries to manufacture a shot to third man but only lobs the ball to the wicketkeeper. Afghanistan are 136-7 after 19 overs.
21:00 hrs IST: Four!! Stanikzai again!! Lofts Perera over cover for another boundary.
20:58 hrs IST: WICKET!! Shafaq c Thirimanne b Perera 5(7). Tries to replicate his captain but only manages to loft it to deep midwicket.
20:57 hrs IST: Six!! Stanikzai smashes Perera over the long on boundary for another maximum. 55 not out is his highest score in T20Is.
20:51 hrs IST: Fifty for Stanikzai off 42 balls!! The Afghan captain has played a brilliant hand to keep his side in the game. His third T20I fifty.
20:49 hrs IST: Four!! Stanikzai moves to 49 with a brilliant loft over the cover fielder. Afghanistan 118-5 after 17 overs.
20:48 hrs IST: Dropped!! Mathews drops Stanikzai. The Lankan captain seemed to be hindered with some light issue. Big miss!!
20:46 hrs IST: WICKET!! Sami c Perera b Kulasekara 31(14). Sami goes for another six but finds the long off fielder.
20:45 hrs IST: Six!! Sami Shenwari is playing brilliant innings. He smashes that over midwicket for another maximum.
20:43 hrs IST: Back to Back Fours!! Sami has spoiled that with two consecutive fours. The Afghans are finally getting a move on!! Afghanistan 105-4 after 16 overs.
20:42 hrs IST: Good over from Perera so far. 3 runs from 4 balls.
20:39 hrs IST: Six!! Sami this time!! Slog sweep over the square leg boundary. Herath has been expensive in his last two overs. Afghanistan 94-4 after 15 overs.
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20:38 hrs IST: Six!! Stanikzai slog sweeps to long on boundary. Thirimanne at the boundary should have caught it but he has bundled it over.
20:36 hrs IST: Six runs from that over. Afghanistan 81-4 after 14 overs.
20:34 hrs IST: Chameera bowls a short one but its too high. Wide!!
20:31 hrs IST: Six more!! Lifts it straight down the ground for consecutive sixes. The Afghan captain on a roll. Afghanistan 75-4 after 13 overs.
20:30 hrs IST: Six!! Stanikzai comes down the track and smashes Herath over the square leg boundary.
20:27 hrs IST: Four!! Sami gives the Afghans a much-needed boundary. Short and wide from Perera and he crashes that past point. Afghanistan 59-4 after 12 overs.
20:23 hrs IST: WICKET!! Nabi lbw b Herath 3(4). Nabi tries to defend on the front foot but misses the ball completely. The ball would have crashed into middle stump. Afghanistan 51-4 after 11 overs.
20:17 hrs IST: WICKET!! Karim Sadiq c Chandimal b Perera 0(7). Karim tries to break the shackles and edge it to the keeper. Afghanistan 47-3 after 10 overs.
20:15 hrs IST: What an over from Herath!! Just one run and a wicket. Afghanistan 45-2 after 9 overs.
20:11 hrs IST: WICKET!! Noor Ali b Herath 20(23). Ali goes for a sweep but is bowled around the legs. Body blow to the Afghans. Ali was batting well.
20:10 hrs IST: Great over from Chameera. Just two off that over. Afghanistan 44-1 after 8 overs.
20:07 hrs IST: For all the shots the Afghans have played, they are still going at less than 6 runs an over.
20:05 hrs IST: A single to finish the over. Good comeback from Herath. Afghanistan 42-1 after 7 overs.
20:03 hrs IST: Four!! Stanikzai comes down the track and smashes Herath to the deep midwicket boundary.
20:02 hrs IST: A quick single to finish the over. Six runs from that over. Afghanistan 36-1 after 6 overs.
20:00 hrs IST: Last ball from Chameera was 149 kmph!! He is working up some speed here.