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WC 2015

Scorecard - 12th Match, Pool A, Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka at University Oval, Dunedin, New Zealand (21 Feb 2015)

Afghanistan

232/10 (49.4) RR:4.67

Sri Lanka won by 4 wkts

MOM: Mahela Jayawardene
Sri Lanka

236/6 (48.2) RR:4.88

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49.3 - Malinga to Zazai, FOUR, that is a powerful blow from Zazai. Full and in the slot, Zazai takes his front leg out of the way and drives very hard, sends it between mid-off and extra-cover and it races away

48.3 - Mathews to Dawlat Zadran, FOUR, edged and just past the keeper. Fullish and outside off stump, Zadran swings hard, the ball goes off the toe-end of the bat, Sanga tries to grab it with his right hand but it went well wide of him

47.2 - Malinga to Mirwais, FOUR, slower ball low full toss, Ashraf swings across the line, he was surprised a bit by the lack of pace but managed to send it past the diving short fine leg fielder

32.1 - T Perera to Nabi, FOUR, Nabi advances down the track, Perera shortens his length, Nabi goes through with slap and sends it between mid-off and extra-cover. It was in the air for a while, but it was in the gap

31.5 - Herath to Shenwari, FOUR, it's too full, it's in the slot and Shenwari doesn't miss out. He waits for the ball to come and slogs it wide of long-on and it almost goes all the way

28.4 - J Mendis to Nabi, FOUR, Malinga dives again, but the ball escapes this time. Nabi gets low down on one knee and paddles the flighted delivery along the ground through short fine leg

25.3 - Herath to Stanikzai, FOUR, dances down the wicket, gets to the pitch of the ball and muscles it straight down the ground, long-on had no chance. That is his 5th ODI fifty as well. He raises his bat and acknowledges the applause from the crowd and his teammates

23.2 - Malinga to Stanikzai, FOUR, on a length just outside off, Stanikzai stays in the crease and looks to defend, takes the outside edge and runs away to the third man fence

22.2 - Herath to Shenwari, FOUR, it was a calculated shot from Shenwari, kneels down and fetches it from outside off, top-edges the sweep over backward square, there was on one in the deep to save the boundary

21.2 - Mathews to Shenwari, FOUR, edged and safe! There was a slip fielder and the ball eludes him. Shenwari pushes at it and the outside edge goes wide of Mahela at wide slip

19.2 - T Perera to Stanikzai, FOUR, super shot! It was a gift though from Perera, short and outside off, Stanikzai rides the bounce and cuts it to the left of backward point, no chance for third man to stop it

18.0 - T Perera to Stanikzai, FOUR, cracking shot! Short and plenty of room on offer, Stanikzai jumps up and cuts it in the air to the left of sweeper cover, Karunaratne runs across, dives and fails to stop the ball

13.5 - T Perera to Shenwari, FOUR, that was a better shot from Shenwari, if the ball is pitched up these Afghan batsmen are not afraid to go after it, Shenwari comes forward and drives it in the air, wide of mid-off, beats a desperate dive from the fielder

13.2 - T Perera to Shenwari, FOUR, fuller and on the stumps, Shenwari hits it through the line, the bat turns in his hands and the ball comes off the inside part, beats mid-on to his left and runs away to the fence

8.5 - Mathews to Stanikzai, FOUR, almost another one! Stanikzai shuffles across and walks down the wicket, the ball nips back in, he looks to force it through the off-side, the inside edge goes over the stumps and beats Sanga to his left

8.0 - Lakmal to Ahmadi, FOUR, another well played shot! Too full and on the stumps, almost a yorker, Ahmadi squeezes it through cover, the timing was so good that it beats Herath's chase from mid-on

7.5 - Lakmal to Ahmadi, FOUR, superb shot! It travelled to the fence in no time. Pitched up delivery on off, Ahmadi presents the full face of the bat and drives it through the line, it was in the air and to the left of Lakmal, who does not get a hand to it

7.0 - Malinga to Nawroz, FOUR, nice shot! It was an overpitched delivery and Mangal puts it away, he comes on the front foot and creams the drive between extra cover and mid-off, the timing on that takes it to the fence

4.2 - Malinga to Ahmadi, FOUR, short and plenty of room on offer, Ahmadi pounces onto it, he hangs on the back foot and cracks the cut through cover-point, even the heavy outfield can't stop it from reaching the rope

4.1 - Malinga to Ahmadi, FOUR, shortish and outside off, Ahmadi waits for it in the crease, looks to steer it, the ball takes the outer half and runs away between second slip and gully. The third man fielder was pretty square

46.5 - Lakmal to Mirwais, SIX, this is unfair! The batsman swings in one direction, but the ball goes in a different direction and that too it's an edge. Full and on the off stump, Ashraf slogs, gets a leading edge, bizarrely it flies over the keeper and goes all the way

45.1 - T Perera to Mirwais, SIX, it's a top edge but it's gone all the way. Short and on the leg stump, Ashraf tries to pull, but gets lucky with the edge and it flies over fine leg

33.4 - Herath to Najibullah, SIX, that's a fine connection from Najibullah! Flighted from Herath, Najibullah gets down on one knee and slog-sweeps it with the spin over deep mid-wicket

32.2 - T Perera to Nabi, SIX, oh what a shot! Short again from Perera, Nabi rocks back and absolutely smashes the pull shot over the mid-wicket boundary

10.1 - Mathews to Stanikzai, SIX, where did that come from? Just out of the blue, Stanikzai sends it into the stands. Length delivery on off, Stanikzai kneels down and slogs it over deep mid-wicket. A spectator takes a one-handed catch, he might have just won a million New Zealand dollars

49.4 - Malinga to Zazai, out Caught by Herath!! Afghanistan are bowled out for 232, Malinga ends with three. Slower delivery outside off stump, Zazai goes across the stumps and attempts a slog, gets a thick outside edge, Herath runs back and to his right from short third man to complete the catch. Dilshan was also approaching the ball from backward point and they almost collided. Zazai c Herath b Malinga 19(38) [4s-1]

49.0 - Mathews to Hamid, out Caught by J Mendis!! Two-in-two for Mathews and Sri Lanka. Good length delivery on the leg stump, Hamid goes hard at the slog, but mistimes it completely, it goes very square than he anticipated, deep square leg ran forward to complete a good catch. Hamid c J Mendis b Mathews 0(1)

48.5 - Mathews to Dawlat Zadran, out Bowled!! He was moving too much in the crease and this time he exposes all the sticks. Nothing but a good length delivery from Mathews, Zadran doesn't get behind the line and swings his bat, misses and the ball hits the top of off stump. Dawlat Zadran b Mathews 4(5) [4s-1]

47.4 - Malinga to Mirwais, out Caught by Lakmal!! Second wicket for Malinga. Change of pace again from Malinga, Ashraf goes early into the slog, the ball takes the top edge, fine leg was pushed back after that boundary earlier in the over and it turned out to be a great move and as it went to him. Lakmal doesn't drop those. Mirwais c Lakmal b Malinga 28(32) [4s-1 6s-2]

38.1 - Lakmal to Najibullah, out Caught by T Perera!! That's an easy catch for Perera. Full and in the slot, Najibullah went for the big shot but mistimed it, the ball went high in the air, mid-off runs forward and takes the dolly. Afghanistan are losing their way quickly here. They need to bat out the 50 overs. Najibullah c T Perera b Lakmal 10(15) [6s-1]

35.4 - Malinga to Nabi, out Bowled!! This was on the cards. With field restrictions and batsmen trying to get quick runs, Malinga always has a great chance of picking up a few wickets in the powerplay. Slower delivery on the leg stump, not quite a yorker, Nabi slogs early and misses it completely. The ball rattles the leg stump. Mathews is pumped as he jumps in joy. Nabi b Malinga 21(27) [4s-2 6s-1]

32.5 - T Perera to Shenwari, out Caught by Mathews!! Afghanistan lose another set batsman. Not what they wanted. It was fullish and in the slot, Shenwari got greeedy and tried to play a gallery shot and in the end, he hit it straight to mid-off, who swallowed the ball easily. Shenwari c Mathews b T Perera 38(70) [4s-5]

27.1 - Herath to Stanikzai, out Caught by J Mendis!! In the air and he's hit it straight down the throat of the man at long-on. End of a fine innings and a fine 88-run partnership. Sri Lanka have managed to get the breakthrough they wanted. Flighted delivery from Herath, Stanikzai advances and tries to go big, but the bat turns in hands and in the end he offers a simple catch to Mendis. Stanikzai c J Mendis b Herath 54(57) [4s-5 6s-1]

9.4 - Lakmal to Ahmadi, out Caught by Herath!! Ahmadi has thrown it away! A needless shot from him. He keeps staring at the wicket after the catch is completed. Short delivery on off, Ahmadi was in no position to play the pull, he top-edges it to the left of mid-wicket, Herath calls for it, runs across and reverse cups it safely. Ahmadi c Herath b Lakmal 24(23) [4s-4]

8.1 - Mathews to Nawroz, out Caught by Thirimanne!! Soft dismissal! Mathews brings himself on and strikes with his first delivery. It was a 119kph slower ball, he had the field set for that as well, Mangal presses forward and pushes at it, checks his shot and finds short cover to perfection. Nawroz c Thirimanne b Mathews 10(30) [4s-1]

5.2 - Lakmal to Nawroz, no run, dropped! MJ puts down a tough chance, but you expect him to take those. Lakmal is disappointed, he turns and marches back to his run-up. It was a touch short and moving away outside off, Mangal feels for it away from the body, the outside edge flies to the right of second slip, Mahela dives, gets both hands but couldn't hold on

38.5 - Lakmal to Zazai, 1 run, a direct-hit would have been curtains for Mirwais. Zazai taps it to point and sets off, Karunaratne runs to his left and has a shy at the stumps at the striker's end but misses. That ball almost shaved the stumps

48.2 - Nabi to T Perera, FOUR, that's it! Sri Lanka have avoided an embarrassing loss. Short and outside off stump, Perera rocks back and muscles it hard over extra-cover for a one-bounce four. This is a fine innings from the all-rounder, who was picked ahead of Nuwan Kulasekara

47.5 - Hamid to T Perera, FOUR, slower ball short and outside off stump, Perera rocks back and cuts well, beats backward point and beats the man at sweeper as well. Sri Lanka are just a hit away now. That brings up the fifty partnership as well

46.2 - Dawlat Zadran to T Perera, FOUR, full and outside off stump, Perera slices it over backward point and the man at sweeper had no chance. 10 runs have come off the first two balls

45.2 - Shapoor to T Perera, FOUR, edgeddddd but safe! That's so unlucky for the bowler. Short of a length delivery, Perera swings across the line, gets a thick edge that flies over the keeper, who jumps high to grab the ball

44.4 - Mirwais to T Perera, FOUR, he's slapped that hard! This lad can hit the ball hard. Short and outside off stump, Perera rocks back and smashes it very hard, this time sweeper had no chance

41.3 - Hamid to T Perera, FOUR, short and outside off stump, Perera rocks back and cuts fiercely past backward point, off the mark in style

38.1 - Shapoor to Mathews, FOUR, Mathews picks up his second boundary. Full and in the slot, Mathews leans forward and punches it off the front foot, mid-off dives to his right but the ball escapes

34.5 - Mirwais to Mathews, FOUR, oh that's a dreadful line! Full and down the leg-side, easy pickings for the batsman, Mathews uses the pace on the ball and just glances it past the man at short fine leg

29.2 - Shenwari to M Jayawardene, FOUR, this is brilliant batting from Jayawardene. Overpitched outside off stump, Jayawardene leans forward and drives it sweetly along the ground through extra-cover

29.1 - Shenwari to M Jayawardene, FOUR, short ball on the leg stump, asking to be hit, there is a man at short fine leg, Jayawardene goes deep in the crease and pulls it to the right of the man at 45 and beats deep backward square leg as well

27.1 - Shenwari to M Jayawardene, FOUR, bad ball and it got the treatment it deserved. Short and way down the leg-side, Jayawardene swivels and helps it fine on its way. The ball goes well wide of the man at short fine leg, who had no chance

25.0 - Shapoor to M Jayawardene, FOUR, Shapoor drifts onto Mahela's pads and pays the price. It is bread and butter for the Sri Lankan veteran, he leans forward and flicks it uppishly behind square, beats the two fielders in the deep to perfection

20.2 - Shapoor to M Jayawardene, FOUR, class! A textbook cover drive from Jayawardene. Everything right about the shot. Full and outside off, Jayawardene leans forward and caresses the drive through extra cover, the timing was sublime

18.5 - Stanikzai to M Jayawardene, FOUR, bad ball and deserved the treatment. It was a half tracker, Jayawardene had all the time in the world to pick his spot, he swivels and pulls it in front of square

11.5 - Hamid to D Karunaratne, FOUR, the runs are starting to flow, third four in five balls. It was short and width on offer, Karunaratne cuts and gets an under edge wide of the slip fielder

11.1 - Hamid to M Jayawardene, FOUR, friendly full toss and MJ says thank you very much. It was on leg-stump as well, Jayawardene leans forward and flicks it behind square to pick up a boundary

11.0 - Mirwais to D Karunaratne, FOUR, edged and safe! The slip was taken off just the previous ball. It would have gone straight to first slip. In the corridor of uncertainty, Karunaratne pokes at it and the outside edge runs down to the third man fence

6.2 - Dawlat Zadran to M Jayawardene, FOUR, wrong line from Dawlat, on the leg-stump, the man of Jayawardene's quality rarely misses out on those, he tickles it fine and beats the fielder in the deep

6.0 - Hamid to D Karunaratne, FOUR, nice shot! Hamid drops it short and on the stumps, Karunaratne was onto it in a flash, rocks back and pulls it in front of square, the ball scooted away to the fence

4.0 - Shapoor to Sangakkara, FOUR, short and outside off, Sangakkara jumps up and cuts it over backward point, he never looked to keep it down the ground, that boundary should calm some nerves

46.1 - Dawlat Zadran to T Perera, SIX, no Dawlat, no! Can't bowl full tosses to this bloke, he'll smash you all day. It's a high full toss as well, Perera picked it early, waited for it to come and muscled it very hard. The ball goes flat over mid-off

37.1 - Dawlat Zadran to M Jayawardene, SIX, oh he's lofted that high in the air and it's gone all the way. He's into the 90s now. Full and just around the off stump, Jayawardene lifts it over mid-wicket and it just clears the boundary

41.2 - Hamid to M Jayawardene, out Caught by Nawroz!! Oh no! What have you done Mahela? He can't believe his eyes! It's a nothing ball and a nothing shot. Is there is a twist in the tale? Short and outside off stump, Jayawardene guides it uppishly but he hits this straight to third man, who takes an easy catch. Mahela is absolutely gutted. He was trying to play it finer, but hit it too well. M Jayawardene c Nawroz b Hamid 100(120) [4s-8 6s-1]

40.3 - Shapoor to Mathews, out Mathews Run Out!! Needless from Mathews and he knows it. Short of a length delivery just outside off stump, Mathews turns it just beside the pitch towards short mid-wicket, the fielder rushes in, grabs the ball and fires a direct-hit at the bowler's end to catch Mathews short. End of a fine 126-run partnership. Mathews run out (Nabi) 44(81) [4s-2]

12.0 - Hamid to D Karunaratne, out Caught by Nawroz!! 50th ODI wicket for Hamid! Just when things were starting to look comfortable for Sri Lanka, they lose a wicket. It was a nothing shot really from Karunaratne, looks to steer it third man and edges it to first slip, Mangal dives to his left, juggles a couple of times before latching onto it. D Karunaratne c Nawroz b Hamid 23(32) [4s-3]

5.3 - Hamid to Sangakkara, out Bowled!! This is just fantastic stuff from Afghanistan. Hamid tried to do a cartwheel, doesn't get it right. But, the celebration doesn't matter, the wicket does and it is a big one. Sri Lanka are in deep trouble now as their premier batsman has been cleaned up. It was a good length ball that angled in, Sangakkara was beaten for pace, he gets an inside edge and the ball crashes into middle-stump. Sangakkara b Hamid 7(13) [4s-1]

1.2 - Shapoor to Dilshan, out Caught by Zazai!! Wow! Shapoor goes on a celebratory run. It was a terrific delivery. He made use of his height and sent Dilshan packing for a duck. A short of length that climbs steeply, Dilshan has a waft at it and gets an outside edge, the keeper takes it over the head. This just gets better for Afghanistan. Dilshan c Zazai b Shapoor 0(1)

0.1 - Dawlat Zadran to Thirimanne, out Lbw!! What a start for Afghanistan! Thiri goes for a golden duck. He contemplated reviewing, but Dilshan thought it was not worth it. Perfect delivery from Dawlat Zadran. Pitched on leg and shapes away, Thirimanne plays inside the line and is struck on the back pad, the ball would have hit off-stump. Umpire Illingworth raised his finger in a flash. Thirimanne lbw b Dawlat Zadran 0(1)

40.5 - Shapoor to M Jayawardene, 1 run, that's it! 19th ODI hundred for Jayawardene. This is also his 4th World Cup hundred. Friendly ball from Zadran, Jayawardene glances it down to fine leg. Jayawardene hardly celebrates. Doesn't even take his helmet off. Just pumps his fist and gets on with iit. Jeevan Mendis congratulates him

35.5 - Dawlat Zadran to Mathews, 1 run, 100 partnership comes up. Short of a length delivery just outside off stump, Mathews taps it towards backward point and sets off

25.2 - Shenwari to M Jayawardene, 1 run, fifty, 78th in ODIs for Jayawardene and a crucial one for Sri Lanka. Slider on middle and leg, he nudges it wide of mid-wicket

23.4 - Shenwari to M Jayawardene, 1 run, a better throw and Mahela would have been on his way. He tucks it towards mid-wicket, takes a couple of steps down the wicket before stopping, Mathews went through with it, but the throw was at the bowler's end, Jayawardene had to put in the dive. A direct hit would have had him, fourth run-out chance that Afghanistan have missed

12.3 - Mirwais to M Jayawardene, 1 run, Mathews was almost sold down the river. Direct hit and it would have been curtains for the Sri Lankan skipper. In fact, the single was on and Mathews was just late to take off. Jayawardene turns this to the right of mid-wicket and sets off, Mathews had not take a start, Nabi runs across and shies at the striker's end, Mathews dived but that would have not saved him

3.5 - Shapoor to Sangakkara, no run, run-out missed! Sanga was gone for all money. Najib was in a dilemma whether to run and break the stumps or throw the ball onto the stumps, in the end he failed to hit the target. Sangakkara had given up and wasn't even in the picture. Short of a length on off, Sangakkara drops it with soft hands in front of point, takes a couple of steps down the wicket, Karunaratne also responds before sending him back. By the time he decided to go back, Najib had the ball in his hand, he runs forward and under-arms it, but misses the sticks. Shapoor is not pleased with that miss, he has a few words for Najib

1.0 - Dawlat Zadran to Sangakkara, 1 run, direct hit and Sanga was gone! He wanted the single to get off the mark, he risked his wicket for it. On a length close to off, Sangakkara taps it off the inside part to the left of the bowler, Dawlat runs across, picks up the ball and fires a wayward throw at the bowler's end, Sanga could have been 3-4 meters short of the crease