The ongoing ICC U19 World Cup 2022 saw one of the best games when Afghanistan and Sri Lanka clashed at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua in the fourth quarter-final of the tournament.
Sri Lanka U19 captain Dunith Wellalage won the toss and chose to bowl first. His decision was rendered correct when his bowlers ran through the Afghanistan batting lineup. Afghan batters managed just 134 in 47 overs with Abdul Hadi making 37 and Noor Ahmad making 30.
Vinuja Ranpul took 5/10 in his 9.1 overs, while the skipper Wellalage picked 3/36 in his 10 overs.
Many assumed that Sri Lanka will overhaul the target easily, but the Afghanistani bowlers had some other idea altogether as they gave the Sri Lankans a dose of their own medicine.
ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier A to begin from February 18; to be hosted in Oman
Bilal Sami picked two wickets, while all other Afghanistani bowlers took one wicket each. They fielded amazingly well also, as Afghanistan ran four Sri Lankan batters out. Sri Lanka captain Dunith Wellalage made 34 and Raveen de Silva made 21, while the whole middle order fell for single-digit scores.
Sri Lanka folded for 130 runs in 46 overs as Afghanistan U19 created history by winning the match by 4 runs and qualifying for the semi-finals of the ICC U19 World Cup 2022. They will now face the England U19 team in the first semi-final at North Sound on February 1st.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) shared the video of the U19 boys celebrating their amazing win with the caption saying: “Celebrate the win boys!! The Future stars have all the rights in the world to celebrate thier quarter final win over SL U19s.”
