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World T20 defending champions Sri Lanka have had a horrid run of late, having lost the T20I seriesagainst India followed by another dismal performance in the Asia Cup T20 where they finished withonly one win.With bowling spearhead Lasith Malinga sitting out of their first World T20 match due to injury it wasnever going to be easy for Sri Lanka. To make matters even trickier, they were pitted againstchallenging opponents in Afghanistan, who had a perfect run in the World T20 Qualifiers.Just like in Wednesdays games though, where experience won matches for Pakistan and WestIndies, Sri Lankas hero turned out to be Tillakaratne Dilshan. The veteran opener played a brilliantknock to carry his side across the finishing line.Afghanistan gave it their very best and did not let Sri Lanka have an easy chase, yet again showinghow far they have come as a cricketing nation. The match produced many amazing moments that dont fade away, just like the Axe Signature lineof body perfumes. Here are five of the most memorable episodes from the game:
#1 Captain Stanikzai leads Afghan fightback with back-to-back sixes
After 12 overs, Afghanistan were reeling at 59/4 and did not look likely to reach even a total of 120 in their 20 overs. Captain Asghar Stanikzai was on 17 off 23 balls, a score that did not exactly fit the T20 format.
However, in the 13th over, Milinda Siriwardana was introduced into the attack by Angelo Mathews and Stanikzai decided to take on the left-arm spinner. The Afghan captain hit the Sri Lankan all-rounder for consecutive sixes in the fourth and fifth balls of the over, scoring 16 runs off the over.
Stanikzai ended his innings with 62 off 47 balls, hitting 3 fours and 4 sixes to help his side not only cross 120, but get to a respectable and competitive total of 153.
#2 Dawlat Zadran dilscooped for a six
Tillakaratne Dilshan came into Sri Lanka’s opening fixture of the World T20 on the back of an extended run of indifferent T20I form with the bat. It was quite evident that he needed to deliver in order to continue keeping his place in the side.
But the 39-year-old did produce the goods, as he remained unbeaten and saw his side through to a convincing six-wicket win.
On his way to scoring an unbeaten 83, Dilshan produced a moment of brilliance in the third over, when he scooped Dawlat Zadran over the fine leg boundary for a six in his typical Dilscoop fashion.
Dilshan’s signature shot, which he had made so popular at the 2009 World T20, was on stunning display once again - much to the delight of the spectators.
#3 Thirimanne bamboozled by 17-year-old Rashid Khan
The last time Lahiru Thirimanne played a T20I for Sri Lanka was in 2014. Coming back to the national side after nearly two years was never going to be an easy task, even against an Associate Nation.
Afghanistan’s 17-year-old leg-spinner Rashid Khan has always shown great promise, and he troubled Thirimanne from the moment the batsman came to the crease.
After beating the Sri Lankan all ends up in his first over with his variations, Rashid went one better in his second over. Thirimanne had absolutely no clue about the viciously turning delivery bowled by the young spinner, and was cleaned up after a painstaking 13-ball 6 runs.
#4 Two brilliant run-outs give the Afghans hope
When Thisara Perera was sent in to bat at No. 4, it was clear that Sri Lanka’s intentions were to get the asking rate down and help make the chase easier. And Perera soon got on his way to taking the game away from the Afghans with his power hitting, smashing a six straight back over the bowler’s head.
However, a brilliant bit of fielding in the 13th over put a halt to Sri Lanka’s plans. Mohammad Shahzad, who initially failed to collect the ball, ran back and picked it up before immediately throwing down the stumps to dismiss the danger man.
An even better piece of fielding in the 16th over gave Afghanistan another glimpse of a famous win. Dilshan’s drive back down the ground was brilliantly deflected on to the non-striker’s stumps by an unforgettable moment of celebration.
#5 Misfields cost Afghanistan the game
Despite a Tillakaratne Dilshan masterclass, Afghanistan gave it their best in most departments as they took the fight to the very end and made the Sri Lankans toil for a win.
But the match would have been much closer than what it actually was had Afghanistan held on to the ball in the outfield with regularity.
Karim Sadiq in the 14th over and Dawlat Zadran in the 16th over were guilty of not being careful enough while fielding on the leg-side boundary, giving away fours when there should have been no more than a single.
These extra runs conceded might have played a factor in Sri Lanka’s chase of the target, with the pressure on the batsmen getting reduced considerably.
