ICC World Cup 2015: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka - Player ratings

Asghar Stanikzai struck an impressive half-century for Afghanistan

This was a match which Afghanistan won despite losing and Sri Lanka lost despite winning. If there was anything that Sri Lanka possessed more than Afghanistan, then it was sheer experience. If you think Associates are here to just make up the numbers, then you have been proved wrong not once, not twice but thrice. Afghanistan batted well and posted 232 runs and then had Sri Lanka 4 down for 51 runs. However, Mahela Jayawardene’s experience, Angelo Mathews’ maturity and Thisara Perera’s flare helped Sri Lanka pip Afghanistan to the post by 4 wickets.

Here are the player ratings for today’s match:

Afghanistan

Javed Ahmadi

The right-handed Afghan opener did not score many, but he ensured that Afghanistan got off to a good start. Put into bat under overcast conditions on a treacherous surface, Ahmadi scored 24 runs off 23 balls, with 16 of the runs coming in boundaries.

Rating: 3/10

Nawroz Mangal

Mangal didn’t last too long like his partner but made sure Afghanistan didn’t lose a wicket until the 9th over. Mangal, despite difficulties, saw off the new ball, helping their No.3 score big.

Rating: 2/10

Asghar Stanikzai

The Afghan No.3 gave Sri Lanka a run for their money as he raced to 54 off 57 balls, building a partnership worth 88 for the third wicket, thereby giving his team the chance to post a mammoth total. His innings included a six and 5 fours.

Rating: 5/10

Samiullah Shenwari

Despite playing a sluggish innings, Samiullah helped Stanikzai dictate terms in the middle by anchoring the Afghan innings. He faced 70 balls to get to his 38, but the time he spent in the middle was crucial.

Rating: 4/10

Mohammad Nabi

The skipper scored 21 off 27 balls before being castled by Lasith Malinga. Though he looked good for more, Nabi played a rash shot in the batting powerplay to let go of the chance to up the ante.

Rating: 3/10

Najibullah Zadran

Zadran was one of the two victims during the batting powerplay as he fell to a hoick in an attempt to increase the run rate. The only highlight of his innings was the six he hit against Rangana Herath over midwicket.

Rating: 1/10

Afsar Zazai

The wicketkeeper of the Afghan team, Afsar Zazai, managed only 19 off his 38 balls, depriving Afghan’s batting of the momentum they desperately needed. His wicketkeeping was also dodgy as he failed to collect the ball tidily on numerous occasions.

Rating: 3/10

Mirwais Ashraf

A bowler by trade, Mirwais played out of his skin to help his team find some fire towards the tail end of the innings. With the ball in hand, although he failed to pick up a wicket, he bowled economically despite carrying a niggle.

Rating: 5/10

Dawlat Zadran

The bustling right-hander produced a Jaffa to dismiss Lahiru Thirimanne off the first ball of Sri Lanka’s innings. The ball swung in and seamed away hitting Thirimanne plumb in front. He set the tone for what followed next: a complete wrecking of Sri Lanka’s top order. He finished with 1 wicket for 44 runs.

Rating: 5/10

Hamid Hassan

The hero of Afghan’s bowling today, Hamid Hassan picked up the prized wicket of both Sangakkara and Jayawardene. He worked up very good pace and looked like getting a wicket every ball.

Rating: 9/10

Shapoor Zadran

Despite a knee injury, the lanky bowler produced an absolute beauty to dismiss Tillakaratne Dilshan off his first ball and then continued his good work by troubling the batsmen throughout his spell.

Rating: 7/10

Mahela Jayawardene hit a century to help chase Afghanistan’s total

Sri Lanka

Lahiru Thirimanne

The Sri Lankan opener bagged a first ball duck but earns a solitary point for the catch he took off Mangal.

Rating: 1/10

TM Dilshan

TM Dilshan bagged another first ball duck making it only the second time in history to have two opening batsmen walking to the pavilion off their very first ball. He made no contribution as he was not asked to bowl in the match and he earns a zilch.

Rating: 0/10

Kumar Sangakkara

How often has he walked to face the second delivery of an innings? For the umpteenth time in his career, Sanga strode to the crease and weathered the early storm. It takes a gem of a delivery to get a gem of a batsman out and Hamid Hassan hurried one onto Sanga to rattle his stumps. Sanga managed only a paltry 7 runs.

Rating: 2/10

Dimuth Karunaratne

Promoted to number 4, Karunaratne did a decent job with the bat scoring 23 runs from 32 balls. But as he has often done, he threw his wicket away after getting a good start.

Rating: 2/10

Mahela Jayawardene

Known outside Sri Lanka as a home track bully, Mahela proved his mettle once again as he compiled a century that came against a background of intense struggle. Despite losing wickets, Mahela made sure that the innings didn’t slow down as he craftily manipulated the field.

Rating: 10/10

Angelo Mathews

Mathews is Sri Lanka’s troubleshooter, and once again, he came to Sri Lanka’s rescue as they found themselves 4 down for 51 runs. Mathews built a partnership worth 126 runs with Mahela and finished with a score of 44. With the ball in hand, his 3 wickets in 7 overs made it a comprehensive day for him.

Rating: 10/10

Jeevan Mendis

He bowled only three overs, but with the bat despite struggling to get the ball off the square, he made sure he built a partnership with Perera that took Sri Lanka over the home.

Rating: 3/10

Thisara Perera

Coming in at the expense of Kulasekara, Perera bowled well as he picked up a wicket and bowled economically at the death. But with the bat in hand, he found his magic back hitting a quickfire 47 off just 26 balls, helping the Sri Lankan dressing room heave a huge sigh of relief.

Rating: 9/10

Rangana Herath

As usual, Herath had complete control over the proceedings, bowling 10 overs for just 41 runs while picking up a wicket.

Rating: 7/10

Lasith Malinga

Although not at his best, Malinga showed glimpses of his golden past as he picked up three wickets and pegged back the Afghan batting.

Rating: 7/10

Suranga Lakmal

He has been a revelation for Sri Lanka, bowling at a good pace and picking up wickets regularly. Today he was economical while picking up two wickets.

Rating: 7/10