SL beat AFG by 34 runs (D/L method) | Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, Highlights And Cricket Score 7th ODI Match

Right then. Sri Lanka stay alive (not that they were out anyway) and are upto 6th place. Their net run rate is very poor but they will take the 2 points for now. Tough luck for Afghanistan, who will feel that they should have had this in the bag. No time to fret though! The carnival continues and India, one of the title contenders, announce themselves on Wednesday, as they take on South Africa at Southampton at 10.30 am local (0930 GMT). It is a double header and the second game is between New Zealand and Bangladesh in London at 1.30 pm local (1230 GMT). ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

Victorious Sri Lankan captain, Dimuth Karunaratne, says that the only negative part in this game was the collapse with the bat after the terrific start. Praises the bowling and fielding altogether. Stresses that his side has experience and hence the unit was positive that it could defend the total. On his advice to the bowlers during the innings break, Dimuth says that breaking the opening stand was the key as the Afghan openers usually go hard. Admits that the middle order is a worry and aims to work on how to keep batting for longer periods in the coming games.

Afghanistan skipper, Gulbadin Naib, feels that Afghanistan did not bowl in the right areas at the start and that is where the game was lost. Admits that they did bowl well in the middle period but that wastage of the new balls hurt them. On the wicket, Naib says that it was not easy for batting so all the bowlers had to do was to keep hitting a consistent line and length. Praises the Sri Lankan side for coming out firing with the ball. On the revised target of 187, Gulbadin says that it was not too much and agrees that some improvement is needed in the batting department, like getting together partnerships. On his own batting, Naib says that he just tried to bat straight. Hopes that his team improves in the coming matches.

NUWAN PRADEEP has been named the MAN OF THE MATCH. But Thisara Perera comes up for a chat with Pommie Mbangwa instead. Thisara says that he is really happy with his bowling as 186 is really difficult to defend. Says that on this type of a wicket, if one bowls in the right lengths, it is difficult to score. Praises himself, saying that normally he is a good fielder. Calls his bowling unit as an experienced one and says that they believed that they could defend this total.

Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka orchestrated an unbelievable collapse, rising to 144/1 and then falling in a heap to post 201. Kusal Perera was the lone warrior with his 78. Did the pitch spice up due to the rain? There was a 3-hour delay due to showers and that perhaps played in the hands of the Lankans, even though 15 runs were wiped off their final score. Please stay tuned for the presentation...

Pradeep bowled with sheer pace and got rid of Naib and Rashid and the Afghans were pegged back once more. And then, when they were hunting for singles and twos, Malinga strut his stuff, bowling yorkers at will and ending the fight. The wickets column might show only the likes of Pradeep and Malinga getting acknowledgement but the whole bowling unit needs to receive praise for keeping the pressure on the opposition.

Just like the Australia game, the lower middle order stood out in this match for Afghanistan. Captain Gulbadin Naib came to the fore and stitched a 64-run stand for the 6th wicket with Najibullah Zadran. At that stage, it seemed like the tables were turning. But Dimuth Karunaratne threw the ball to Nuwan Pradeep and he swung the game around.

Normally, in an ODI, chasing 187 in 41 overs is no difficult task. But Sri Lanka made it difficult for Afghanistan. The Afghans got off to a decent start, adding 34 for the opening wicket but Shahzad's wicket opened the floodgates. They slipped from 34/0 to 57/5 and it really seemed like the game was over at that point of time. But no Afghan game is over without a fightback.

Wow. What a game. Truly sensational. Sri Lanka are alive and kicking. They were always expected to win this one (Were they? My colleagues will not agree) and at the halfway mark, were looking in a really bad shape. But the bowling, spurred by Malinga and Pradeep, led their team to a wonderful win.

Lasith Malinga to Hamid Hassan. OUT! TIMBER! Perfect yorker and SRI LANKA WIN BY 34 RUNS (DLS METHOD)! Toe-crusher from Lasith Malinga. Bowls a yorker on middle, Hassan looks to dig it out but misses it and gets bowled. You can hear the sound of the death rattle.

Lasith Malinga to Hamid Hassan. SIX! Powerful shot. Full on leg, Hassan lofts it cleanly over long on for a biggie.

Lasith Malinga to Hamid Hassan. Bowls a short delivery outside off, Hassan looks to pull but misses it.

Lasith Malinga to Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Bowls a yorker on leg, Mujeeb flicks it towards leg side for a single.

Isuru Udana to Najibullah Zadran. OUT! A run out ends Najibullah's fighting innings. A bit unfortunate for him too. Full and outside off, Zadran drives it towards mid off and sets off for a single. Dimuth Karunaratne fields it at that position and has a shy at the bowler's end. Najibullah has to run around the bowler and hence loses a big chunk of time. It is a direct hit and Zadran is well short!

Isuru Udana to Najibullah Zadran. Outside off, a short ball, another hook and a miss.

Isuru Udana to Najibullah Zadran. A good short ball, Najibullah backs away, missing out on the pull. He looks at the square leg umpire but does not get a wide. Is furious with himself.

Isuru Udana to Najibullah Zadran. FOUR! Off the outside edge! Full and outside off, Najibullah swings hard but gets a thick outside edge which beats third man to his right. Hang on. It is a no ball because three fielders are inside the circle instead of 5!

Isuru Udana to Najibullah Zadran. Another short ball, right at the face of the batsman, Zadran backs away, looking to play a paddle-pull but misses.

Isuru Udana to Najibullah Zadran. FOUR! Up and over! Short and outside off, Najibullah backs away and slaps it over cover. Nearly goes all the way!

Isuru Udana to Najibullah Zadran. On a good length outside off, Najibullah feels for it but misses.

Lasith Malinga to Hamid Hassan. The batsman just manages to keep the yorker out. Good ball bowled by the bowler. 1 run and a wicket from the over. Terrific over from Lasith Malinga.

Lasith Malinga to Hamid Hassan. Another yorker, pushed towards mid on.

Lasith Malinga to Dawlat Zadran. OUT! BOWLED! A Malinga special. Yorker, you miss, he hits. Dawlat makes room and looks to dig it out but misses it and gets bowled. Beautiful bowling from Malinga. Sri Lanka are two wickets away from winning the match.