If you want to relive all the action from tonight in more detail, Sreshth's report is already up. And if you thought today was great, you know what tomorrow is, yes it's India vs Pakistan, so be sure to join us for all the action and analysis. But on that note it's a wrap from us. For Sreshth, Thilak and myself, it's good night!

Ashish: "Game against India is on Monday or Tuesday? If you are saying Monday then India is playing pak and sl back to back days. Seems a bit illogical in a Mukti nation tournament." Apologies, yes the game is in fact on Tuesday. Original comment has been amended.

JOYDEEPSINGHGIL: "It's a quite tournament for Afghanistan because they're gonna play with Pakistan n India in this tournament who would've thought before the start of the tournament afg could've done that brilliant cricket by them "

The Player of the Match, unsurprisingly, is Rahmanullah Gurbaz: "Of course disappointed with the result, but that's cricket. We were short 25 runs or so, cos the wicket wasn't that difficult. I just tried to do my best, but I think the way we finished in the final overs wasn't good. Playing franchise cricket has helped a lot, because of how we train to compete in those big competitions. We hope to take the form from here to the World Cup as well."

Winning Captain Dasun Shanaka: "It's the belief of the dressing room, we believe we can chase anything in these kinds of wickets. We can always analyse the wicket better when chasing. There was a plan coming into this game, we know they have good batters, but the boys executed the plans really well. As I mentioned in the toss, partnerships was the key to winning the game. We had spoken about that, and now we now how to approach matches and win games."

Najibullah Zadran getting the Catch of the Match award for his incredible work on the boundary line to dismiss Dasun Shanaka.

Losing Captain Mohammed Nabi: We were about 20-25 runs short, and also we didn't field well or bowl in the right areas. It's a better pitch today than the one we played on against Bangladesh, which is why I said we were a few runs short. We didn't bowl brilliantly, but we bowled really well. We dropped some catches, which if we took the game would have been different."

Alright presentation ceremony almost underway...

Prithvi : "SL should only make 1 change to this team. Play Rajapaksha at No.3 and Aslanka at no.5. Rajapaksha is too good a player to come at no.5 in T20Is and he played pretty well in IPL at No.3" Considering his [Bhanuka's] particular skillset, perhaps a floating role suits him best.

Kasun Udana: "Many are talking about Afghanistan's missed chances cost them the match. Then what about that reprieve of Gurbaz at he was 5. It's SL's death bowling that won them the match. Not merely the luck." Yes, luck definitely does go both ways, in the end it's all about how you capitalise on those moments of good fortune.

Analyst : "Good win for SL, as this Afghanistan team can beat any team in this format. Also good to the Asia Cup very competitive, previously it has always been either India, SL, Pak winning the cup. The stats on the winners do not lie.. SL death bowing good today by the very young fast bowlers. Mine when the experience papers come back KJP, Avishka, possibly Matthews. A fairly good team will sl have in this format "

Bhanuka Rajapaksa: "Wicket seemed quite good with the way they batted, we just needed to be a bit cautious when the spinners came into play. In the IPL I can bat at three, but to strengthen the middle order I was put at five. It's a floating role, but I like it. It was very embarrassing for us to get out for 105, so we wanted to put our hands up and show the nation we weren't as bad as that."

9.40pm So Sri Lanka get a measure of redemption against Afghanistan after that opening game trouncing, and they do it in style completing the highest ever chase on this ground and the highest ever chase against Afghanistan in T20s. After their bowlers had done brilliantly to claw Afghanistan back in the death, the batters kept pace with Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis giving a solid platform at the top, before cameos from Danushka Gunathilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Wanindu Hasaranga sealed the win. Afghanistan though will wonder what could have been, after they had more than their fair share of chances to put the game to bed. First their batters couldn't capitalise in the death overs, and then in the field it was a mixed bag with great fielding mixed with many drops. Sri Lanka won't mind though, and this will give them a load of confidence going into the game against India on Tuesday.

19.1
4
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Karunaratne, FOUR, Wide full toss, driven high over mid-off! And Sri Lanka complete an impressive chase!

END OF OVER:
19 | 7 Runs 1 Wkt | SL: 175/6 (1 run required from 6 balls, RR: 9.21, RRR: 1.00)

  • Wanindu Hasaranga16 (9b)
  • Chamika Karunaratne1 (1b)
  • Naveen-ul-Haq4-0-40-2
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi3-0-30-0
18.6
0
Naveen-ul-Haq to PW Hasaranga, no run, Another run out chance! Direct hit and he would have been miles gone. Hasaranga digs out this attempted yorker to extra cover and wants to steal the single. Chamika sends him back, and the throw is at the striker's end. Hit and he was gone!

Surya: "Deepak, To be frank, Afghanistan lost the game when they failed to review Danushka Gunathilaka's LBW the last ball of 11th over. And then dropped a few catches and the game. They still had 2 reviews left. Just why didn't they review?" Lots of 'ifs' in hindsight.

18.5
0
Naveen-ul-Haq to PW Hasaranga, no run, short and wide, but cut straight to point. No run!
18.4
1
Naveen-ul-Haq to Karunaratne, 1 run, Misfield for one. And the scores are level! This was driven straight to short extra cover, who can't hold on. The throw might have been close at the non-striker's end had it hit.

He gets several pats on the back as he makes his way to the dressing room.

18.3
W
Naveen-ul-Haq to Rajapaksa, OUT, Slower ball cleans him up! And Rajapaksa can't see it through. Goes across the line, looking to win this in style, but he's way early on the stroke, as his off stump is rattled. But what a cameo this has been!

PBB Rajapaksa b Naveen-ul-Haq 31 (27m 14b 4x4 1x6) SR: 221.42

18.2
2
Naveen-ul-Haq to Rajapaksa, 2 runs, full again, worked towards deep midwicket for another couple
18.1
4
Naveen-ul-Haq to Rajapaksa, FOUR, Smashed past deep cover! Geez that was timed sweetly! This was full outside off, and Bhanuka just spanks this drive. The fielder only has to move a few yards to his right but he has no chance.

8 needed from 12 now, Sri Lanka can do this in singles.

Deepak: "Afghan lost this game in 17th and 19th over of their batting when theekshana bolwed those two over for 8 runs.. else it would have been a. 190 chase and things would have been different.."

END OF OVER:
18 | 12 Runs | SL: 168/5 (8 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 9.33, RRR: 4.00)

  • Wanindu Hasaranga16 (7b)
  • Bhanuka Rajapaksa25 (11b)
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi3-0-30-0
  • Rashid Khan4-0-39-1
17.6
2
Fazalhaq Farooqi to PW Hasaranga, 2 runs, Full outside off, and it's two more. Driven nicely between deep extra cover and deep cover point.
17.5
4
Fazalhaq Farooqi to PW Hasaranga, FOUR, Top edge for four! It's all going Sri Lanka's way! This was another short slow bouncer, and Hasaranga looks to flat bat this down the ground but gets a top edge high past the keeper and short third.

Nader Abbas: "This is most competitive Asia cup tournament without any doubt!"

17.4
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to PW Hasaranga, no run, Slower short ball, and Hasaranga is early on the stroke. Unable to get the uppercut away.
17.3
4
Fazalhaq Farooqi to PW Hasaranga, FOUR, Opens the face, finds the gap! This was over pitched outside, and Hasaranga gets low and drives this square to beat the man at sweeper cover.
17.2
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Rajapaksa, 1 run, slower short ball, dabbed down to short third man for one

theskykisser: "Did Rashid get into Danushka's head there? " Yeah there was some afters after the reverse sweep at the start of that over. Definitely might have played a role in that stroke.

17.1
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to PW Hasaranga, 1 run, slower ball on a length, keeps low. Nudged towards cover for a quick single.

Rashid with his most expensive figures ever in the UAE.

Srashta : "Bhanuka! You beauty - the only popular Rajapaksa in SL right now:)"

END OF OVER:
17 | 11 Runs 1 Wkt | SL: 156/5 (20 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 9.17, RRR: 6.66)

  • Wanindu Hasaranga5 (2b)
  • Bhanuka Rajapaksa24 (10b)
  • Rashid Khan4-0-39-1
  • Naveen-ul-Haq3-0-33-1
16.6
1
Rashid Khan to PW Hasaranga, 1 run, length on the stumps, nudged to deep midwicket for one. And that's the end of Rashid's spell.
16.5
4
Rashid Khan to PW Hasaranga, FOUR, Deftly played! Extra bounce on this googly, but Hasaranga goes back and waits for it before guiding it past short third man.

Wanindu Hasaranga enters the field.

16.4
W
Rashid Khan to Gunathilaka, OUT, Gunathilaka goes for one sweep too many, and he's castled! Rashid gets his man in the end, as Gunathilaka goes across the line and misses completely. The off peg is disturbed. Is this yet another twist in this game?

MD Gunathilaka b Rashid Khan 33 (42m 20b 2x4 2x6) SR: 165.00

16.3
1
Rashid Khan to Rajapaksa, 1 run, Short ball on the pads, but he can't get the pull away. Only manages to get it as far as short fine leg.
16.2
1
Rashid Khan to Gunathilaka, 1 run, Length ball, pushed through flat. Looks to cut but gets an outside edge towards short third for one.

Ayoub Aryoub : "Catches win matches. Two catches missed"

Sri Lanka 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st62BKG MendisP Nissanka
2nd18KIC AsalankaP Nissanka
3rd14MD GunathilakaKIC Asalanka
4th25MD GunathilakaMD Shanaka
5th32PBB RajapaksaMD Gunathilaka
6th23PBB RajapaksaPW Hasaranga
7th5C KarunaratnePW Hasaranga

Men's T20 Asia Cup

Super Four
TeamMWLPTNRR
SL33060.701
PAK3214-0.279
IND31221.607
AFG3030-2.006
Group A
TeamMWLPTNRR
IND22041.096
PAK21123.811
HKG2020-4.875
Group B
TeamMWLPTNRR
AFG22042.467
SL2112-2.233
BAN2020-0.576