A solid collective effort from Afghanistan has given England enough to ponder about, with the 2022 finalists thrashed by 67 runs in warm-up action from day two.
Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka prevailed by 112 runs (DLS Method).
After captain Sineth Jayawardena won the toss in Pretoria, Pulindu Perera set the tone for Sri Lanka at the batting end by making an even fifty off sixty-four balls.
Sri Lanka’s attempt to get a high score was hindered by three run outs, but Dinura Kalupahana’s 34 helped the team to 238/9 in 50 overs. For Bangladesh, Wasi Siddiquee scored 2/26 in six overs.
Leading Sri Lanka’s attack was fast bowler Vishen Halambage, who took cheap catches of Bangladesh’s openers as well as No. 4 batsman Rizwan Chowdhury. Following his bat heroics, Perera took 2 for 5 in 4.5 overs by using his off-breaks to smash through the middle overs.
Rain stopped play at 119/9, and Sri Lanka won by 112 runs using the DLS system. Bangladesh was well behind.
Afghanistan vs England
Afghanistan wins by 67 runs as a result.
Put in to bat first at Dlamini Oval in Johannesburg, Afghanistan found themselves in a hole at 82/4, though half-centuries from Sohail Khan Zurmati and Numan Shah pushed the team to 238. England’s Tazeem Ali shone with figures of 3/45 as Sebastian Morgan and Dominic Kelly both had two-wicket days.
England’s chase was spearheaded by captain Ben McKinney, who scored 40 off 31 balls. However, 16-year-old finger spinner Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, who was compared to Mujeeb ur Rahman, ripped away the top order, taking 5/30 (9.2).
Eddie Jack scored a valuable 36 to help Kelly (31) mount a comeback from No. 7, but Ghazanfar claimed his wicket and England was bowled out for 171. Afghanistan achieved a confidence-boosting victory led by two wickets each from Bashir Ahmad and Khalil Ahmad.
