NEW DELHI: Afghanistan continued their remarkable campaign at the 50-overs World Cup by securing a significant victory over the 1996 champions, Sri Lanka, winning by seven wickets in a thrilling encounter in Pune on Monday.
The foundation for their third win in six matches was set by the Afghan bowlers, who restricted Sri Lanka to a below-par total of 241 runs in 49.3 overs.
During their chase, three of Afghanistan's top five batters, including Hashmatullah Shahidi, displayed exceptional performances, each contributing with half-centuries. Their clinical performance allowed them to chase down the target in 45.2 overs, propelling them to the fifth position in the points table.
Azmatullah Omarzai played a vital role, scoring 73 runs and sealing the victory with Shahidi contributing 58 runs from the other end.
This victory adds to Afghanistan's earlier stunning wins against reigning champions England and the 1992 champions, Pakistan. As soon as Afghans recorded their inspiring victory, wishes started pouring in on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, hailing the war-torn country for their commendable performance in the ongoing tournament.
