The fate of three teams hung on a single match. In a thrilling encounter, Sri Lanka defeated Afghanistan by six wickets, thereby securing their place in the Super Four. As a result of this victory, Bangladesh also confirmed their place in the Super Four, while Afghanistan were knocked out of the tournament.

Former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja shared his reaction to the outcome of the clash between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. He said: “I am certain a wave of joy has swept across Bangladesh because everyone, in one way or another, was hoping that Afghanistan would not progress further.”

Ramiz, however, expressed disappointment for Afghanistan: “For Afghanistan, this was a very frustrating match because they did almost everything right. Yet when it came to their strength, it turned into their weakness – their bowling. Many congratulations to Sri Lanka, but Afghanistan will have to work much harder.”

The cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s victory was the superb innings of Kusal Mendis, who remained unbeaten with 74 runs off 52 balls. Under immense pressure, Mendis showed composure and delivered on the big stage.

Ramiz Raja praised the opener in glowing terms: “Kusal Mendis is a diminutive figure, but an excellent player of the cut shot and the sweep. He even steps out to take on the spinners, reading them off the hand. Against spin, he does everything correctly. That is why he proved to be the match-winner, as most of the overs were bowled by spinners, and he was the one who punished them the most.”

Match at a Glance