Twitter Reactions: Kusal Perera, Malinga and Pradeep help Sri Lanka open their account

Nuwan Pradeep and Lasith Malinga were excellent with the ball.

By CricTracker Staff verified

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Sri Lankan team
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Sri Lankan team. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

The match between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff was marred by rain. However, the contest turned out to be an exciting one as both teams fought tooth and nail to overpower each other. In the end, Dimuth Karunartne and Co managed to register their first victory of the World Cup 2019 by 34 runs (DLS Method). The Afghans fought hard, but couldn’t open their account in the mega event.

Kusal Perera- Lanka’s lone warrior

Under overcast conditions, the Afghans elected to field first. But they didn’t make a great start as Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Perera put on 92 for the first wicket in 13.1 overs. Kusal was the more attacking partner even as the Lankan captain took his time. Mohammad Nabi separated the duo, dismissing Karunaratne for 30 when the batsman mistimed one down the throat of the long-on fielder.

Perera went on to accomplish his fifty in 42 deliveries. He also added 52 runs with Lahiru Thirimanne, who was dropped down to number three. Nabi rattled his woodwork after the batsman got 25 off 34. The dismissal brought about a collapse as Nabi picked up two more wickets in the 22nd over. The off-spinner got rid of veteran Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva, both of whom perished for ducks.

Thisara Perera succumbed to a run-out following a mix-up with Kusal. Isuru Udana went for a hoick and Dawalt Zadran castled him. Rashid Khan picked up the wicket of Kusal, who ended with a knock of 78 off 81 with eight fours. Thereafter, rain interrupted play for quite some time and the match was reduced to 41 overs per side. After the break, it needed 23 deliveries for the Afghans to bowl Sri Lanka out for 201.

Lanka gets over the line

With a revised target of 187, Hazratullah Zazai played some audacious strokes to build a 34-run opening stand with Mohammad Shahzad, who had his travails. Shahzad hit one four but mistimed one off Lasith Malinga into the safe hands of the Lankan captain. Rahmat Shah edged one to Mathews in the slips as Isuru Udana picked up his first wicket. Nuwan Pradeep then accounted for Zazai’s prized wicket.

Zazai got 30 off 25 balls with three fours and a six. Pradeep nipped out Hashmatullah Shahidi’s wicket as well. Thereafter, Thisara brought one back into Nabi and disturbed his timber. Like their opponent, the Afghans also experienced a collapse as they slumped from 34/0 to 57/5 in a space of nine overs. The onus was on captain Gulbadin Naib and Najibullah Zadran to inject some momentum into the innings.

The duo brought the Afghans back into the game with a much-needed partnership of 64 runs in 67 deliveries. With the match smiling away from the Lankans, Pradeep trapped Naib for 23. In his next over, he removed Rashid to pick up his fourth wicket. Hamid Hassan smacked one into the stands off Malinga, but the latter came back to bowl a deadly Yorker to bring the curtains down on the encounter.

Here is how Twitter reacted to the game

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