Best gift to Sri Lankan fans will be Asia Cup Trophy amid ongoing crisis: Wasim Jaffer
Former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer said that the best gift Sri Lankan fans can get amid the ongoing economic crisis in the country is the Asia Cup glory. Sri Lanka, although have had a tough year so far, their cricket team winning games in recent times has been the silver lining for them.
Lanka won a Test match against Australia and Pakistan at home in July and also won an ODI series against Australia in June. However, their track record in T20Is have below par, winning only four out of their 14 games this year. However, their win against Bangladesh on September 1, Thursday, in a do-or-die game will lift their spirits and backed it with a Super 4 win against Afghanistan.
“The best gift to the Sri Lankan fans will be the Asia Cup Trophy amid the ongoing crisis in their country” Wasim Jaffer said via a cricket show. Sri Lanka’s next task in hand was Super 4 game against Afghanistan on September 3, Saturday, in Sharjah. Afghanistan batted first and amassed a competitive total of 175 for the loss of six wickets.
Sri Lanka register their second win on the spin
Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz starred with the bat, scoring 84 runs off 45 balls with four fours and six sixes. Ibrahim Zadran, at number three, contributed with 40 runs off 38 balls, and Najibullah Zadran played a valuable cameo of 17 runs off 10 balls. The pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers was spinner Maheesh Theekshana with a spell of one wicket for 29 runs in four overs. Wanindu Hasaranga bowled a tidy spell of none for 23 runs in four overs.
If Sri Lanka were to win the match, they needed to pull off the highest run chase in Sharjah in T20Is. They were off to a flyer, scoring 57 runs in the six-over powerplay. Openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis scored 35 runs off 28 balls and 36 runs off 19 balls, respectively. Danushka Gunathilaka contributed with 33 runs off 20 balls, and Bhanuka Rajapaksa played a blistering knock of 31 runs off 14 balls. Sri Lanka complete the chase in 19.1 overs and registered their second win on the spin.
