Nissanka 210* outplays Omarzai, Nabi tons as SL clinch opener
Sri Lanka 381 for 3 (Nissanka 210*, Avishka 88, Fareed 2-79) beat Afghanistan 339 for six (Omarzai 149, Nabi 136, Madushan 4-75) by 42 runs
Pathum Nissanka‘s historic double ton ensured Sri Lanka withstood a spirited Afghanistan counterattack to file a 42-run victory within the first ODI at Pallekele and take a 1-0 lead within the three-match collection.
That Afghanistan even bought that shut was right down to a file 242-run stand between Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi, the second-highest sixth-wicket stand in ODI historical past. Omarazai ended on a 115-ball 149, whereas Nabi scored 136 off 130, as Afghanistan fell brief however with their heads held excessive.
It would depart them questioning maybe what might need been had there been extra substantial contributions from their high order, however in a chase of the mammoth 382-run goal set by Sri Lanka, many fell wanting in looking out for a quick begin.
Pramod Madushan did essentially the most injury sending three of Afghanistan’s high 4 packing inside the primary powerplay. The right-handed Rahmanullah Gurbaz and the left-handed Hashmatullah Shahidi have been each performed in by in-duckers, Madushan adept at shifting the ball each methods – both by means of the air or off the floor.
In between the 2 he had Ibrahim Zadran caught at slip, and returned later within the recreation to interrupt the stand between Nabi and Omarzai. He completed with figures of 4 for 75.
With Dushmantha Chameera accounting for the scalps of Rahmat Shah and Gulbadin Naib on the different finish, Afghanistan discovered themselves staring down the barrel of an ignominious defeat, having stumbled to 55 for five halfway by means of the ninth over.
But that was when the fightback started, because the pair of Omarzai and Nabi resolved early on to take the sport as deep as attainable.
With not a lot batting to comply with, it was clear the pair couldn’t take undue dangers, however they discovered boundaries to make sure the run fee by no means bought too out of hand. That mentioned, it wasn’t till the thirty sixth over that their scoring fee went past six an over, by which level the required fee was touching 12 an over.
By the fortieth over the requirement was 137 wanted off 60 deliveries, a tall ask however put into context by the truth that Sri Lanka had struck 120 in the identical interval.
In the tip the asking fee proved an excessive amount of, particularly with Sri Lanka having a number of overs out there from every of their frontline bowlers.
It additionally put into perspective the batting effort put in by the Lankans, notably the excellent Nissanka, whose 210 had come off simply 139 deliveries.
Avishka Fernando, with a run-a-ball 88, was the subsequent highest scorer, as he and Nissanka placed on a 182-run opening stand – Sri Lanka’s first century opening stand in 9 innings, and simply the third to hit double digits in that interval. But that was simply the beginning of Afghanistan’s distress.
The guests, who had opted to go together with a four-strong seam assault, have been left to rue their resolution to bowl first having received the toss, with circumstances proving splendid for batting. After a subdued begin within the opening 5 during which simply 22 runs have been scored, Nissanka started to let unfastened.
There was a subdued interval by means of the center overs when Nabi was rifling by means of his overs, however at first and the dying the Afghan bowlers have been at Nissanka’s mercy.
Omarzai was the primary to really feel the warmth, taken for back-to-back boundaries by means of midwicket after which cowl. Two overs later Fareed Ahmad was taken for 19, inclusive of two fours and a six – the latter off a free hit. Ahmad went for an extra 17 in his subsequent over, Avishka doing the brunt of the injury on that event, as Sri Lanka raced to 90 by the tip of the tenth over.
The scoring tapered from there on, the occasional flurry of boundaries serving to maintain the scoring fee hovering across the seven an over mark. It took a scorching seize from Hashmatullah Shahidi at backward level to deliver an finish to the opening stand, as Avishka flayed a large one exhausting to his proper.
Kusal Mendis’ entry noticed extra of the identical, as he scrounged round for a 31-ball 16 earlier than skying a miscued shot after coming down the monitor. The entry of Sadeera Samarawickrama, halfway by means of the thirty sixth over, although was the catalyst for Sri Lanka to shift gears, as his capacity to rotate strike and discover boundaries dovetailed completely with Nissanka, who was starting to see the ball greater with each stroke.
Their stand of 121 got here off simply 71 deliveries and scaled up within the closing 10 overs. Of the 120 runs ransacked on this interval Nissanka alone accounted for 76 of them.
Having earlier introduced up his century with a single eased to deep cowl, he introduced up his 150 with a double previous backward level. But these milestones have been surrounded by belligerence.
Noor Ahmad was slog-swept twice in an over, with the wind, over deep midwicket. Fazalhaq Farooqi was clobbered down the bottom, flicked over sq. leg, heaved over deep midwicket and paddled behind sq.. And when all else failed Afghanistan turned again to Fareed, however Nissanka wouldn’t err.
Having did not get away a string of extensive Fareed yorkers two overs prior, Nissanka squeezed the primary such try within the closing over previous backward level to deliver up his double ton. Two balls later he swung one excessive over sq. leg after which he crashed a drive to deep additional cowl to complete the innings.
It was a knock worthy of profitable any recreation, and so it proved ultimately.