Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Match Stats

WIDE! Not the best of starts from Binura Fernando. Banged in well short and down the leg side for a wide.

Back of a length and angled across the off stump, Karim Janat punches it off the back foot but straight to the man at covers.

FOUR! Binura Fernando hasn't had a good game and is being put under pressure now. Full and outside off, pace on, Karim Janat stays deep in the crease and reaches out before thumping it down the ground, past the diving man at long off and into the fence.

Good running! Full and around off stump, Karim Janat shuffles across a bit and heaves it away in between deep mid-wicket and long on for a couple of runs.

Takes pace off and bowls it full and wide, Karim Janat can't get the drive past Wanindu Hasaranga at extra cover.

Brilliantly placed and they get two again. Full on middle and leg, Karim Janat whips it away well in front of mid-wicket and picks up another brace.

FOUR! A boundary to finish and 13 runs come off it, Afghanistan now need 44 runs off 30 deliveries. Short of a length and on the stumps, Karim Janat flicks it away firmly and finds the gap between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Tossed up on leg and full, Ibrahim Zadran steers it to square leg for a single.

Too slow and straightens after pitching full and on stumps, Karim Janat mistimes it towards mid on for a single.

An adamant appeal for LBW from everyone in the field, and up goes the finger! Ibrahim Zadran straightaway reviews it! Hasaranga bowls it on the off-stump line and sneaks back in. Ibrahim prods ahead and plays outside the line of the ball and wears it on the pads. The UltraEdge comes up and shows that no bat is involved. Ball Tracker proves that the ball is missing the leg stump. Ibrahim survives. A good review.

FOUR! Shot! Short and on stumps, Ibrahim Zadran rocks back and pulls it through deep mid-wicket for a boundary. A crucial one this.

On the dragged length and on stumps, Ibrahim Zadran pushes it to the bowler.

Fuller and on the stumps, Ibrahim Zadran flicks it with soft hands to mid-wicket and scampers back for the double. Good presence of mind here from the Afghan skipper. 36 needed off the last four overs.

OUT! LBW! Sharp appeal for LBW and the Umpire raises his finger again. Karim Janat reviews it after a brief discussion with Ibrahim. Pathirana bowls it on a length and on the stump line, Karim Janat stays on the back foot covering his stumps but plays it outside the line of the ball as it sneaks through his inside edge and thuds his pads. The UltraEdge comes up and shows no bat is involved as the ball passes the bat. It is followed by Ball Tracker and it confirms three reds. This time the decision stands and Afghanistan lose Karim Janat. Matheesha Pathirana provides another crucial breakthrough for his team.

EDGED AND FOUR! LUCKY! But Afghanistan will take it. On a hard length outside off, Qais Ahmad intentionally opens the bat's face but it takes the leading edge and flies to the right of the keeper who dives to his full stretch and it trickles down to the fence for a four.

Oh dear! He will have to reload that again! Down leg and the keeper fails to collect it cleanly and allows the batters to take a single. Two Wides.

On a length and on stumps, Ibrahim Zadran pushes it to mid off and sneaks a quick single.

WIDE! Short and wide outside off, Qais leaves it and the Umpire signals a Wide.

WIDE! Oh no! Sri Lanka cannot afford too many extra deliveries here. Another bumper and wide outside off, Qais Ahmed throws his bat at it but it goes above. Wide called.

Kusal Mendis says that he has heard something and Wanindu Hasaranga straightaway opts a review for caught behind. This is on a length and outside off, Qais Ahmad advances down the track to go big over deep mid-wicket and misses. The UltraEdge confirms that no bat is involved. NOT OUT then.

Oh dear! This is a streak of fielding errors from the Lankans. On a length and around off, Qais Ahmad pushes it through covers and scampers back for the second. An overthrow at the runner's end allows them to take the third. 

On the back of a length and outside off, Ibrahim drops it down to the off side. Getting closer here the Afghans. The equation now stands at 24 runs required off 18 balls.

OUT! TAKEN! Theekshana provides a wicket and at what time? A juicy full toss on offer on middle but Qais Ahmed completely mistimes it making a mess of it and it takes the leading edge as he closes the bat's face pretty early. The ball lobs up in the air and Kamindu Mendis (the substitute fielder) takes an easy catch.

On top of off and on a length, Noor Ahmad pushes it to mid off.

SIX! Noor Ahmed strikes big! Serves a juicy half-volley on the stumps, Noor Ahmad swings hard clearing his front leg and deposits into the stands over long on for a biggie. What a pressure-releasing hit that is!

Good cricket. Tossed up on stumps, Noor nudges it to square leg for a single.

On full and outside off, Ibrahim Zadran drives it down the ground towards long off for a single.

Full and on the middle stump line, Noor Ahmad steers it towards widish long on for a brace. 10 runs from this over and Afghanistan are still in this contest. 14 needed of the last 12 balls remaining.

Pathirana comes into the penultimate over and bowls fuller on the middle and leg channel, Ibrahim Zadran drills it toward long on for a single.

BEATEN! Full, outside off, Noor swings and misses.

OUT! KNOCKED HIM OVER! Matheesha Pathirana, you beauty! What a sensational delivery and what a star this bowler is! Noor has no answers to it! With a bit of an inward movement from off on a length, Noor Ahmad stands confused and is caught in two minds whether to play it on the back foot and gets squared up, and is too late to bring the bat down. The ball breaks the stumps in the blink of an eye. Matheesha Pathirana gets his third scalp.

Full and slower on stumps, Naveen flicks it to mid-wicket for a single.

On the length and outside off, Ibrahim tucks it to covers off the back foot and runs a single.

OUT! BULL'S EYE! Matheesha Pathirana destroys the timber with an exceptional yorker! Guns a perfect yorker on off, Naveen-ul-Haq comes ahead a couple of steps and shuffles a bit to the leg side looking to squeeze it to the off side but exposes the stumps in that process and misses to connect the ball. The rock shatters the stumps again. Matheesha Pathirana is making the ball talk here. What a sensational penultimate over and a perfect display of death over bowling from Pathirana. Just three runs and two wickets from this over. 11 needed off the last over now. Matheesha Pathirana has made the ground staff work to replace the stumps as he has destroyed the timber thrice in this match.

A crucial dot delivery by Binura Fernando! Full and outside off, Ibrahim Zadran drives hard shuffling on off towards deep extra cover but denies to take the single.

Full toss and angling outside off, Ibrahim Zadran swings wildly and misses! Another dot delivery! 4 balls remaining and 11 needed still.

What a sensational last over this is turning out to be! Another dot! Fuller in length and outside off, Ibrahim Zadran drives it to deep point but does not run again. 11 off 3 now.

Fourth dot ball in a row! Full and wide outside off from over the wicket, Ibrahim Zadran looks to drive through the covers but he overhits it and falls on his knees but fails to connect.

DROPPED! On off and full, Ibrahim Zadran tries to heave it out of the park but slices it uppishly towards deep third man. The ball lands between the two converging fielders in the deep and there's no clear call to take the catch. They run a couple of runs.

FOUR! Not enough! Sri Lanka steal a sensational win by 4 runs at Dambulla. And it is fair to say that Matheesha Pathirana stood between the win and Afghanistan. Binura holds his line outside off from over the wicket and fuller in length, Ibrahim Zadran throws his bat at it and connects well through extra covers for a boundary. But it is too late. Sri Lanka take the series lead by 1-0 by winning this first T20I. What a humdinger of a contest this has been!