Afghanistan heartbroken after loss to Sri Lanka

Afghanistan were heart-broken, and Rashid Khan, who had hammered 27 runs in 16 balls with four fours in three balls and a six, looked out at Fazalhaq Farooqi blankly for having squandered an opportunity to seal their team’s spot in Asia Cup Super Fours stage.

In a match that see-sawed and had Sri Lanka in the driving seat for most part, Afghanistan came back through a blistering 65 off 32 balls from Mohammad Nabi and then through Karim Janat (22 off 13), Najibullah Zadran (23 off 15) and Rashid to make a match of it.

However, some miscalculations hurt them badly.

ESPNcricinfo.com explained the matter in its report.

“In the end though it was left to Rashid Khan, who would strike three boundaries in the final four balls of the 37th over to leave Mujeeb Ur Rahman needing to score three off one. Mujeeb would hole out at long-on, but that wouldn't be that,” the report said.

“As the math would have it, Afghanistan could have still qualified if they were to get their score up to 295 in 37.5 overs - essentially with a single six. But incredibly, it appeared this wasn't communicated to the Afghan players. And so, Farooqi, as the No. 11, would play out two defensive strokes, before being trapped lbw while attempting a third block. Rashid at the other end cut a forlorn figure as Sri Lanka secured an improbable win to finish atop Group B,” the report added.

That the electronic scoreboard at the Gaddafi Stadium did not show the equation made matters worse.

Cricket, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Asia Cup