(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – Afghanistan have defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets in Pune to record their third win of the Cricket World Cup and boost their hopes of a semifinal place.
Their bowlers laid the foundation of their third win in six matches when they bowled out Sri Lanka for a below-par 241 in 49.3 overs.
Three of their top five batters, including Hashmatullah Shahidi, then produced half-centuries in a clinical chase that they accomplished in 45.2 overs to move to fifth place in the points table.
Azmatullah Omarzai (73) scored the winning run with Shahidi (58) looking on from the other end.
Shahidi and his men had stunned holders England and 1992 champions Pakistan earlier in the competition, and they proved those were no flukes with yet another impressive display against 1996 winners Sri Lanka.
Put into bat, several Sri Lankan batters got their eyes in but could not quite capitalise on those starts.
