All Group B matches of the Asia Cup 2025 are completed. As Sri Lanka Beat Afghanistan to Qualify for the Super Four in the Asia Cup 2025. The date for the match was 18th September. Eventually, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi was the venue. Afghanistan is eventually out of the Asia Cup 2025.
This was the must-win game for the Afghanistan team as Rashid Khan won the toss and decided his team would bat first. There were two changes to the Afghanistan team as Ghazanfar and Naib made way for Rasooli and Mujeeb. Sri Lanka’s captain said he also wanted to bat first on this wicket. Wellalage made way for Theekshana, which was the only change that Sri Lanka made coming to this match.
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Sri Lanka Beat Afghanistan to Qualify for the Super Four in Asia Cup 2025 – Can They Defeat Bangladesh Next?
The Afghanistan batter never looked settled from the start of the innings as Nuwan Thushara made things quite difficult for them. He got both the batters out. The middle order never looked comfortable for the Afghans. At one point, it was going to be a one-sided match, and reaching 100 runs was looking tough.
It was Nabi’s 60 runs and captain Rashid Khan’s cameo that helped the Afghanistan team reach a total of 169/8 in their 20 overs. Nuwan Thushara was the quick of the bowlers as in his four overs he got 4/18.
Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara couldn’t impress with the bat as both the batters got out for a single digit. It was the day for Kusal Mendis as he played a mature innings of 74* runs in 52 balls and was batting till the last. His innings included 10 boundaries.
Kushal Perera, Charith Asalanka, and Kamindu Mendis continuously scored with a high strike and got the crucial boundaries. Sri Lanka chased the target with eight balls to spare. Their final score was 171/4 in 18.4 overs. No Afghan bowler had a great day with the ball.
Kusal Mendis was the player of the match for his 72* runs knock. This is surely one of the biggest upsets of the Asia Cup 2025, as Afghanistan did not make it to the Super-Fours. They are the favourites to win the Asia Cup 2025, but now they are not in the last four.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh qualify from Group B. The first super-four match will be between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on 20th September at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
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