T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan: Key stats
After losing to New Zealand and Australia, Sri Lanka are back to winning ways in the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup. The Lankans defeated Afghanistan in their latest Super 12 encounter at The Gabba, Brisbane. Sri Lanka successfully chased down 145, with Dhananjaya de Silva scoring a half-century. Earlier, Wanindu Hasaranga took three wickets to set up SL's win. Here are the key stats.
How did the match pan out?
Afghanistan were off to a terrific start after electing to bat. Although Openers Usman Ghani and Rahmanullah Gurbaz gave the Afghans a solid platform, the middle order couldn't seize it. Wanindu Hasaranga took three wickets to derail the Afghans, who settled for 144/8. Sri Lanka lost a couple of early wickets, but Dhananjaya's unbeaten knock (66*) got them home.
50 T20 wickets for Lahiru
Lahiru was the pick of Sri Lanka's seamers in the match. He took two wickets for 30 runs in four overs. In the process, the Sri Lankan seamer completed 50 wickets in T20 cricket. As many as 28 of them have come in internationals.
Hasaranga takes three wickets
Hasaranga took as many as three wickets in the match. The former conceded just 12 runs in four overs. Hasaranga, Sri Lanka's highest wicket-taker in T20I cricket among spinners, now has 84 scalps in the format. He eclipsed Ireland's Geroge Dockrell (81) in terms of T20I wickets. Besides, Hasaranga has extended his wickets tally in T20 cricket to 171.
29 wickets in T20 World Cup
Hasaranga registered his career-best T20I figures against Afghanistan. He has raced to 29 scalps across 15 fixtures in T20 World Cup. He averages a meek 11.44, with the best figures being 3/8. Notably, the spin maestro wound up with the most wickets in the 2021 edition of the tournament. Overall, Hasaranga has raked in 84 scalps in 51 matches while averaging an astonishing 14.55.
Third T20I fifty for Dhananjaya
Top-order batter Dhananjaya de Silva took over after SL openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis departed. Dhananjaya duly negotiated the likes of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi. The Lankan batter raced to his fifty off 36 balls. It was his third half-century in T20I cricket.
