SL vs AFG, 1st ODI Stats Review: Ibrahim Zadran’s heroics, Afghanistan’s dominance over Sri Lanka and other stats

Charith Asalanka’s 91 went in vain as a 98-run knock from Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah’s fifty helped Afghanistan edge over Sri Lanka by six wickets at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium on June 2. 

The visitors Afghanistan won the toss and decided to bowl first as Fazalhaq Farooqi drew the first blood with Dimuth Karunaratne’s wicket. Soon, Farooqi sent back Kusal Mendis for 11 while Angelo Mathews was dismissed by Fareed Ahmad for 12.

However, Asalanka kept the scoreboard ticking as he and Dhananjaya de Silva added 99 runs for the fifth wicket. de Silva (51 off 59) registered his ninth fifty before getting dismissed by Mohammad Nabi while Asalanka smashed 91 off 95 before getting being runout. Other Sri Lankan players lost their wickets in quick succession as Sri Lanka could manage 268 in 50 overs.

Chasing 269, Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit a couple of boundaries before being dismissed by Lahiru Kumara for for a 23-ball 14. However, the duo of Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah kept the scoreboard ticking, registering the highest second wicket partnership of 146 for Afghanistan before Zadran fell two runs short of what could be his fouth ODI ton.

Rahmat Shah, however kept the chase going as he along with the skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi added 40 runs for the the third wicket, Shah completed his 23rd fifty before getting dismissed for 55 off 80. Crucial knocks from Mohammad Nabi (27 off 28) along with Shahidi (38 off 47) helped Afghanistan go over the finish line by margin of six wickets. 

Meanwhile, here are some of the important stats and numbers from the first ODI of the three- match-series between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in 2023:

18y 150d – Noor Ahmad became the youngest player to play at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium after Akila Dananjaya 19 years 39 days.  

91– Charith Asalanka scripted his second-highest ODI score 91 off 95 after his 110 against Australia in Colombo in 2022.

1 – The pair of Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah aggregated 146 runs, which is the highest second-wicket partnership for Afghanistan against Sri Lanka in ODIs. 

2 – This was also highest second-wicket partnership in ODIs in Hambantota after Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli’s 173 against Sri Lanka in 2012.

94– Ibrahim Zadran has aggregated 376 runs at an average of 94 against Sri Lanka in four ODIs.

98 – Zadran smashed 98 runs, which is third-highest ODI score for an Afghanistan batter against Sri Lanka. He himself tops the list with 162 in 2022 in Pallekele.  

2 – Afghanistan (269) scripted their joint second-highest successful chase in ODIs after chasing 276 against UAE in 2014. 

32 – Rahmat Shah registered his 32nd fifty-plus score across formats, the second-most by an Afghanistan batter. Mohammad Shahzad tops the list with 33.