Charith Asalanka smashed an unbeaten 83 as Sri Lanka pulled off a file chase of 314 to edge out Afghanistan by 4 wickets within the third One-Day International and finish the collection stage at 1-1 on Wednesday.
Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran’s file 162 – the very best particular person rating for the Afghans – went in useless after he steered the vacationer to 313 for eight in Pallekele.
Sri Lanka was in bother at 249 for six, however the left-handed pair of Asalanka and Dunith Wellalage placed on an unbeaten stand of 65 to steer the workforce house with two balls to spare.
The island nation saved up its hopes of incomes a direct entry into subsequent 12 months’s ODI World Cup in India with essential 10 Super League factors from the win.
Asalanka, battling cramps through the later half of his 72-ball knock, hit the profitable six as the house crowd erupted in pleasure with the highest-ever chase on the venue.
Wellalage, 19, additionally saved his calm in his 31 off 21 balls as he smashed Gulbadin Naib for 3 fours within the forty ninth over to take some stress off Asalanka, who refused many doubles as he hopped round.
Afghan spin wizard Rashid Khan returned figures of 4 for 37.
Sri Lanka had began strongly with openers Pathum Nissanka (35) and Kusal Mendis (67) placing on 101 runs.
Dinesh Chandimal and skipper Dasun Shanaka additionally made helpful contributions of 33 and 43.
Asalanka then placed on a 79-run stand with Shanaka because the duo blended the suitable dose of warning and aggression.
Rashid broke via to get Shanaka bowled with a googly that rattled the stumps and shortly struck his fourth blow as Wanindu Hasaranga walked again caught behind for 2 earlier than Asalanka and Wellalage took over.
Ibrahim, 20, stood out for Afghanistan, which had earned its automated qualification for the World Cup with the earlier rained off match, with 278 runs together with a match-winning 106 within the opener.
He placed on 154 runs with the left-handed Najibullah Zadran, who made 77, to rebuild the Afghan innings after three early wickets and put Sri Lanka on the again foot.
The effort was Afghanistan’s greatest fourth-wicket partnership, breaking a 2013 file of 144 between Nawroz Mangal and Samiullah Shinwari towards Scotland.
It was Ibrahim’s third century in simply his eighth ODI and surpassed Afghanistan’s earlier prime rating of 131 not out by Mohammad Shahzad.
Ibrahim stood agency to tackle the bowlers as he surpassed his earlier better of an unbeaten 121 earlier than departing on the ultimate ball of the innings.
He hit 15 fours and 4 sixes in his 138-ball knock.