Asia Cup Super Four: Sri Lanka thrash Afghanistan by four wickets

Sharjah: Sri Lanka beat Afghnistan by four wickets in the opening Twenty20 international of the Asia Cup Super Four match that was played at Sharjah on Saturday. 

Lankans struck 179 for 6 in the last over.

Kusal Mendis' fiery start and a key lower-order knock by Bhanuka Rajapaksa powered Sri Lanka to a four-wicket win over Afghanistan in their Asia Cup Super Four contest on Saturday.

Set 176 for victory, Sri Lanka leaned on an attacking 62-run opening stand between Pathum Nissanka (35) and Mendis (36) to achieve their target with five balls to spare at Sharjah.

Afghanistan's bowlers got regular wickets to dent Sri Lanka's middle-order but Rajapaksa's 31 off 14 balls and a quickfire 16 not out from Wanindu Hasaranga helped them achieve the highest chase at the desert venue.

"It's the belief of the dressing room, we believe we can chase anything in these kinds of wickets," Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka said.

"We can always analyse the wicket better when chasing. There was a plan coming into this game, we know they have good batters, but the boys executed the plans really well."

Earlier, Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz smashed 84 to guide Afghanistan to a 175-6 against Sri Lanka.

Gurbaz put on a key second-wicket stand of 93 with Ibrahim Zadran, who made 40, after being put into bat first but Sri Lanka hit back late to check the opposition total at Sharjah.

Gurbaz, a wicketkeeper-batsman, had a narrow escape when he was caught in the deep off Maheesh Theekshana but repays suggested the fielder had touched the rope.

He lost opening partner Hazratullah Zazai, who was bowled on 13 by Dilshan Madushanka 13, but kept up the attack to raise his fifty in 22 balls.

Ibrahim then played anchor with Gurbaz as the two kept up the scoring to lay the base for their total, which looked to go beyond 190.

Asitha Fernando finally cut short Gurbaz's innings after the batsman miscued a slower ball to be out caught at deep mid-wicket.

Ibrahim attempted to switch gears and push the scoring but fell to Madushanka.

Afghanistan seemed to have lost their way in the end as opposition bowlers rattled the middle-order including key wickets of skipper Mohammad Nabi, caught and bowled off Theekshana for one, and Najibullah Zadran run out on 17.

Afghanistan, who had crushed Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to move into the Super Four, managed just 37 runs in the last five overs and lost five wickets.