Sri Lanka completed a comprehensive come-from-behind series victory over Afghanistan, with a massive nine-wicket win in Hambantota. Dushmantha Chameera picked four wickets and Wanindu Hasaranga got three, bundling out Afghanistan for 116. In response, openers Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunatne made mincemeat of that small total with fifties to complete the chase in just 16 overs.
Afghanistan endured a second batting collapse in a row, starting off as early as the second over when Rahmanullah Gurbaz mistimed a pull to fine leg. Rahmat Shah, who scored a half-century in Afghanistan’s win in the series opener, was snuffed out by Dushmantha Chameera in third over. Two balls later, Hashmatullah Shahidi became the fast bowler’s second scalp. Another star from Afghanistan’s win this series – Ibrahim Zadran – fell for just 22 in the ninth overs to leave the visitors tottering at 48 for 4.
Mohammad Nabi and Najibullah Zadran attempted revival and fought it out for four overs but Chameera broke the stand and dismissed the other batter too in the space of two overs. Chameera finishing with figures of 4 for 63. Hasaranga then ran through the lower-order, starting off by trapping Rashid Khan leg before in the 16th over. Afghanistan went past the 100-run mark courtest Gulbadin Naib, who scored 20 runs. It still didn’t take visitors too far as they went from 80 for 6 to 116 all out in the 23rd over.
Brief Scores: Afghanistan 116 in 22.2 overs (Mohammad Nabi 23, Ibrahim Zadran 22; Dushmantha Chameera 4-63, Wanindu Hasaranga 3-7) lost to Sri Lanka 120/1 in 16 overs (Dimuth Karunaratne 56*, Pathum Nissanka 51) by 9 wickets
