Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Asia Cup 2023: Coach Jonathan Trott Reveals Afghanistan was unaware of Run Rate Permutations.

The defending Champions, Sri Lanka enters the Super Fours stage after beating Afghanistan in the Last League Match between Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan in the Asia Cup 2023. But what happened at the Press Briefing, is the topic for Discussion. In the match, Afghanistan’s team made a Silly mistake in calculating their net run rate which results a costly defeat against Sri Lanka in this Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Asia Cup 2023 Match.

Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott has revealed that his team was not aware of the calculations of qualifying for the Asia Cup Super-Four even after the team not able to reach the target of 292 in 37.1 overs against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan: Coach Jonathan Trott Press Briefing

“All we were communicated was we needed to win in 37.1 overs. We were not told what the overs in which we could get 295 or 297, That we could win in 38.1 overs were never communicated to us,” the Afghanistan Coach told in a Press briefing, Following his side’s narrow two-run loss to Sri Lanka in their Asia Cup 2023 match.

Trott felt his bowlers could have done better in both the games they played, Bangladesh vs Afghanistan and Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan in the Asia Cup 2023, Particularly against Bangladesh, where they conceded 334 runs in the first innings. But he refused to pin down any one reason for Afghanistan’s exit from the Tournament.

Afghanistan’s analyst Mohsin Sheikh Said, it was informed by the match officials that they will not qualify if they achieved the target after 37.1 overs. “We were clearly confirmed from officials and match referee that we could win but not able to qualify if we achieve the target past the 37.1 mark,”

Afghanistan needed three runs off a single delivery to book their Super 4s berth and Rashid Khan, who not out at 27 was at the non-striker’s end at the end of 37th Over. till that time the Afghanistan batters did not know that they can win till 38.1 overs, provided they must Score 297. So, they could have got to 293 after 37.2 overs, 294 after 37.3, 295 after 37.5, 296 after 38 overs, or 297 after 38.1 to beat Sri Lanka on NRR.

This meant there were several permutations still available for Afghanistan but Trott admitted that they had no information on these possibilities and as a result, no messages were Communicated to the batters. Mujeeb and Farooqui got themselves out even not trying to play out the 38th over assuming their chances were over as Afghanistan eventually suffered a painful defeat.

Match Summery Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, the 6^th Match of the Asia Cup 2023 started with Sri Lanka won the toss and Elected to Bat first. With a formidable top-order performances from Pathum Nissanka scored 41 runs in 40 balls, Dimuth Karunaratne who scored 32 runs in 35 balls and Kusal Mendis made 92 runs in 84 balls with six boundaries and three flying sixes help Sri Lanka, a solid start after electing to bat first.

Also Read: Asia Cup 2023: Squad, Fixture and all the Details You should Know

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan: Sri Lanka Batting

Quick wickets in Middle Overs Halted Sri Lanka’s Quick Run rate with Kusal Mendis exiting on 92. Later, Dunith Wellalage and Maheesh Theekshana added 64 runs for the eighth wicket to lead a solid recovery. Later, middle and lower order contributions from Charith Asalanka 36 runs in 43 balls with two fours and a six, Dunith Wellalage  33runs in 39 balls with three fours and one six and Maheesh Theekshana 28 runs in 24 balls with two fours and a six pushed Sri Lanka to Play the complete 50 overs. Sri Lanka recovered from a middle order struggle and able to Score 291/8 at the end of 50 Overs.

For Afghanistan, Gulbadin Naib bowling figure is 4/60 and Rashid Khan picked up two wickets.

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan: Afghanistan Cracking Start for Chase

In the chase of 292, Afghanistan lost their openers early, Afghanistan required to chase the target in 37.1 overs to qualify for the Super 4 round and looked very much into the race after Nabi smashed quick 65 runs in 32 deliveries with a strike rate of 203.12 to change the momentum in Afghanistan’s favor. In the process, Nabi created history by becoming the first Afghanistan batter to Reach 5,000 runs in international cricket.

At the end of the 37th over, Afghanistan’s score was 289 for 8. they need three runs in one ball to win the Match Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan and cross Sri Lanka’s net run rate (NRR). Mujeeb Ur Rahman was caught on the long-on boundary, while Going for a big hit off Dhananjaya de Silva, following which the non-striker Rashid Khan sank to his knees, presuming that Afghanistan had lost their chance.

Kasun Rajitha’s four-wicket haul and Dhananjaya de Silva’s two wickets in the 38th over helped Sri Lanka win by two runs in this Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Match in the Asia Cup 2023 and qualified for Super 4 Stage.

Gulbadin Naib (4/60) and Rashid Khan (2/63) were best bowling figures for Afghanistan. Gulbadin Naib Scored 22 runs in 16 balls with four fours, Rahmat Shah Scored 45 runs in 40 balls with five fours and a six, Hashmatullah Shahidi Scored 59 in 66 balls with three fours and a six and Mohammed Nabi Scored 65 runs in 32 balls with six fours and five sixes, push Afghanistan back into the game.

Also Read: Asia Cup Cricket: Reliving the Memorable History from 1984 to 2023

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan: The Score Board Summery