SL VS AFG T20I

Right then, this is it from this series as this tour draws to a close. The Sri Lankan team gathers behind the 'Champions' board for photographs after clinching the T20I series against Afghanistan with a 2-1 victory. Sri Lanka won the One-Off Test, and followed up by clean sweeping the ODI series before this. Sri Lanka will now travel to Bangladesh for a three-match T20I series and a two-match Test series. Whereas, Afghanistan will fly to the UAE for their all-format series including a One-Off Test against Ireland. Thank you for tuning with us, but the other cricketing action continues and you can surely join us with all the action. Till then, take care, cheers!

The skipper of Sri Lanka and also the Player of the Series, Wanindu Hasaranga says that his team played really well in the first two games. He credits the bowlers for the way they bowled. States that they wanted to test the bench strength and therefore, they made 4 changes in this game. Adds that Chameera will be returning from injury which is a good sign. Ends by thanking the crowd for their support throughout the series.

The skipper of Afghanistan Ibrahim Zadran says that it was a close game but he is happy that they won the game. Adds that tough for them to lose the series but says that they showed a good fight throughout the tour. He says it was tactical to make changes as they wanted to test the bench strength as well for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Says they played well in the first match but lost by a close margin. Adds that they struggled to chase in this series and didn't repeat the mistakes in this game and managed to win. Ends up by saying that he is hopeful for a good series against Ireland.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz is the Player of the Match for his blistering 70 off 43. He says that he is pleased with his knock. Mentions that he was going through a hard time with the bat but was able to bat freely in this game. Shares that the coach gave him the confidence. Further adds that he does mind batting first or chasing. Ends by saying that he is happy that he and his team learned from their mistakes and did not commit the same mistakes in this game.

The Presentation ceremony...

Earlier in the game, Afghanistan started off to a flier with Hazratullah Zazai and Gurbaz wreaking the attack right on and did not give any chance for the bowlers to settle in. Gurbaz, despite pulling his hamstring, fought like a wounded lion and scored a blistering 70 and helped Afghanistan to mount a steep total of 209 on the board with some crucial contributions from Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi in the backend. And coming to defend, it was an uphill task for Sri Lanka to chase it down, Pathum Nissanka notched up a valiant 60 off 30 and got retired hurt. But it all took the last ball of the innings to decide the victor. Afghanistan won the game by just 3 runs, and finally tasted a solitary success in this tour.

Afghanistan, despite putting a mammoth total on the board, began ordinarily with the ball as they conceded too many boundaries first up and allowed the opposition batters to construct a strong opening stand. Fareed Ahmed, though he went for plenty in his second over, saw the back of Kusal Mendis courtesy of a sensational breathtaking catch from Sharafuddin. Noor Ahmed was introduced into the attack, and right away he got rid of Kusal Perera off a peach of a delivery on his very second ball and exerted pressure on the hosts after an ordinary Powerplay. Noor Ahmed and Mohammad Nabi continued to bowl in tandem and bowled some decent overs without conceding too many which bore fruit for Noor Ahmed as he managed to dismiss Kusal Perera, and Mohammad Nabi too joined the party as he got rid of the dangerous Wanindu Hasaranga and finished off his spell with a 2-wicket haul. Qais Ahmed, who was brought in as a concussion sub, picked a very crucial scalp of Sadeera and exerted more pressure on the opposition. The spin trio of Nabi, Noor, and Qais managed to contain the Lankan batters and in the end, Karim Janat and Wafadar Momand somehow cleaned up successfully in the end and helped Afghanistan to register the first win of this tour to Sri Lanka across the formats.

416 runs struck in this last T20 International and it couldn't have been a more thrilling end to this tour. After a few hiccups in the end, Afghanistan narrowly win this third T20I by 3 runs. But Sri Lanka take the series by 2-1. Sri Lanka started off on a decent note as Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis negotiated the Powerplay pretty well. Nissanka was the aggressor as he struck some seriously glorious boundaries employing the square cut shots and helped the partnership to flourish. He rocketed to his fifty inside the Powerplay and provided a blistering start for the hosts. Kusal Mendis played a crucial anchor role as he rotated the strike but perished on an awkward shot right before the end of the Powerplay. Kusal Perera, who had a successful outing in the recently concluded ILT20, stayed only for a couple of deliveries and departed on a silver duck. Suddenly, Sri Lanka found themselves in a bit of trouble. Sadeera Samarawickrama was in for Pathum Nissanka, who made a valiant quickfire 60 off just 30 balls, but he walked back to the pavilion getting retired hurt, pulling his hamstring. Sadeera, along with Kamindu, tried to steady the ship and the former notched up a quick 23 off just 12 balls before departing. But Kamindu Mendis continued to strike boundaries after being dropped and notched up a brilliant half-century. The required run rate was creeping up as Angelo Mathews couldn't hold onto it and got dismissed. Dasun Shanaka showed the intent but fell prey to a mix up between the wickets. Sri Lanka, in the end, lost by 3 runs.

SIX! BANG! Kamindu Mendis finishes with a maximum but that will not be enough. Wafadar Momand lands this back of a length and on middle, Kamindu Mendis clears his front leg away and whacks it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. AFGHANISTAN WIN BY 3 RUNS!

A dot! Afghanistan's game now barring any extras! This is full and on middle, Kamindu Mendis swipes it straight to deep square leg and denies the run.

Wafadar Momand bangs in a slower bouncer, but this one is too high, Kusal Mendis leaves it alone. Wided. Still 10 needed in 2 ball snow!

Oh..wow! That is a close call! Wafadar Momand loses his grip and bowls a very high full toss, on off, Kamindu Mendis tries to slog it away but misses. It looks above the waist height to the naked eye but the umpires do not think so. Mendis is not happy and wants to take a review but that is not how it works.

FOUR! Kamindu Mendis finds the fence with his go-to shot again! Wafadar Momand takes pace off this time, and pitches it up, on middle, Kamindu Mendis once again shuffles across and nails his scoop past short fine leg for another boundary. He has played this shot to perfection in this game.

An appeal for LBW, but turned down! Wafadar Momand nails the yorker this time, on leg, Kamindu Mendis tries to heave it away but misses and the ball hits his pads on the full. Afghanistan take the review. UltraEdge shows no bat involved and Ball Tracking indicates the impact is outside leg. The Afghans lose a review but it is a previous dot for them. Sri Lanka needs 15 in 4 now!

MISFIELD AND FOUR! Not what Afghanistan needed at this time. Wafadar Momand lands this on a good length and on middle, Kamindu Mendis swings across the line but gets an inside edge toward short fine leg, Karim Janat tries to rush to the ball but lets it through for a boundary. 15 in 5 now!

The onus lies on Wafadar Momand to defend 19 off the last over. Also, Afghanistan have been penalized as they did not start the last over in the allotted time. Resultant, they will have to keep five fielders inside the 30-yard circle.

FOUR! Akila Dananjaya hits a crucial boundary here! Azmatullah Omarzai lands this back of a length and around off, Akila Dananjaya backs away a bit and swats it over and wide of mid off for four runs. Sri Lanka needs 19 runs in the last over!