Nabi’s Breathtaking Late Assault Not Enough as Afghanistan Crash Out in Abu Dhabi
Sri Lanka delivered a composed all-round performance to knock Afghanistan out of the Asia Cup with a six-wicket win in their final Group B clash at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Thursday.
Nuwan Thushara’s incisive 4-18 broke the back of Afghanistan’s batting before Kusal Mendis anchored the chase with a classy unbeaten 74. The result sealed Sri Lanka and Bangladesh’s places in the Super Fours, while last year’s T20 World Cup semi-finalists Afghanistan bowed out.
Nabi’s Blitz Keeps Afghanistan Alive
Afghanistan were struggling at 120/7 after 18 overs, but veteran Mohammad Nabi staged a stunning fightback. In a 22-ball 60, he tore into the Sri Lankan bowlers, hammering six sixes and three fours. The highlight came in the final over, when Nabi smashed Dunith Wellalage for five sixes – one of them off a no-ball – plundering 32 runs to lift his side to 169/8.
It was so special. To hit five sixes was unbelievable. But we didn’t bowl as well as we should have. On that track 170 was chaseable. We had worked hard and had great preparation, but in T20 cricket you get punished for small mistakes.
Thushara’s Early Strikes
Earlier, Afghanistan had made a bright start, but Thushara’s slingy action proved unplayable. He dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Karim Janat and Sediqullah Atal inside the powerplay, leaving Afghanistan at 45/3. His return later accounted for Rashid Khan, underlining his value as Sri Lanka’s powerplay specialist.
Thushara is a phenomenal guy. He bowls two or three overs up front and does the job for the country. The pacers were outstanding today. Apart from the last over, it was almost a perfect game.
Sri Lanka’s fielding also stood out – Kusal Perera’s relay catch at the boundary to remove Darwish Rasooli and Dushmantha Chameera’s acrobatic grab to dismiss Azmatullah Omarzai were standout moments. “Perera was brilliant. We want to be the best fielding side in T20s – in this format you need to catch everything,” added Asalanka.
Mendis Anchors the Chase
Chasing 170, Sri Lanka lost Pathum Nissanka for six and Kamil Mishara soon after, slipping to 52/2 at the end of the powerplay. But Mendis steadied the innings with a masterclass in shot selection and strike rotation. He brought up his 50 off 40 balls with a sweep, equalling Pathum Nissanka’s tally of 17 T20I half-centuries.
Kusal Perera (28) and Charith Asalanka (17) played useful cameos, but when they fell, it was Mendis who held his nerve. Partnering Kamindu Mendis (22*), he guided Sri Lanka home with eight balls to spare, sealing victory with a cut and a pull for boundaries off Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
I am very happy. I got good support, especially from Kamindu who batted really well. The spinners were bowling quicker than usual, but I enjoyed the challenge. We will have three good games in the Super Four and I hope we do well.
What It Means
For Afghanistan, Nabi’s heroics provided fleeting hope but could not mask the flaws of a campaign that ended earlier than expected. Rashid admitted his side were aiming at least for the next round after last year’s World Cup semi-final run. For Sri Lanka, the performance was near complete – incisive bowling, sharp fielding and a steady chase – giving them momentum heading into the Super Fours.
Our supporters are amazing. Sometimes they cheer louder for us abroad than at home. We’ll keep working hard – this team wants to go deep.
Brief Scores: Afghanistan 169/8 in 20 overs (Mohammad Nabi 60, Rashid Khan 24; Nuwan Thushara 4-18, Dasun Shanaka 1-29) Sri Lanka 171/4 in 18.4 overs (Kusal Mendis 74*, Kusal Perera 28; Azmatullah Omarzai 1-10, Noor Ahmad 1-37) Result: Sri Lanka won by six wickets
