Such was the impact of Nabi’s innings that the rest of the batters – the same ones that had struggled to maintain a high strike-rate against Bangladesh two days prior – would find the boundaries when required to keep up with the run-rate.
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.
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.
Until Nabi’s intervention though, Sri Lanka were comfortably in control, more so after the powerplay. Kasun Rajitha, who finished with 4 for 79, was the early enforcer with wickets of top-order batters Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran. Gulbadin Naib, pushed up the order, would briefly counter in a 16-ball 20 that included four boundaries, but Matheesha Pathirana would trap him lbw first ball.
