Sri Lanka celebrate 10-wicket Test win against Afghanistan

Published

3 years ago

February 5, 2024

Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan by 10 wickets with a day to spare in the one-off Test in Colombo on Monday with their opening batsmen chasing down an easy target of 56.

Afghanistan were bowled out for 296 in their second innings, setting Sri Lanka the low goal, with Dimuth Karunaratne (32 not out) and Nishan Madushka (22 not out) finishing the job within 7.2 overs.

Afghanistan were playing catch-up after conceding a lead of 241 runs in the first innings, but fought back well in their second dig with Ibrahim Zadran leading the way with a maiden Test hundred.

Rahmat Shah backed up the opening batter with a half-century but once the pair were dismissed, Afghanistan folded quickly.

Sri Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva said Afghanistan did well on day two with the ball but his team stuck to their plan.

“When both Angelo (Mathews) and I got dismissed, it might not seem that bad but that was the point that Afghanistan felt they were back in the game,” he said.

“I think that was the crucial moment of the match. But our bowlers stuck to the plan all day (day 3), not giving runs away and keeping it tight.”

Prabath Jayasuriya finished with his seventh five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

“I’m really happy at the moment, the last couple of days were tough,” said Jayasuriya, named man of the match.

“We knew this was a batting-friendly wicket, so we were just trying to do the basics right.”

Afghanistan were looking good to stretch the game to the final day when they resumed on day four at 199 for one in their second innings.

‘Lack of experience’

However, six wickets fell in the morning session for just 52 runs as the second new ball hurt the Afghans.

Seamer Kasun Rajitha dismissed overnight batsman Rahmat for 54 and then left-arm spinner Jayasuriya ran through the middle order as the new ball offered him bounce and turn.

Jayasuriya used his arm ball — which goes straight on — to good effect, foxing batsmen who were playing for turn.

Zadran, who had batted for more than six hours for his hundred, was confused by one such delivery, and was bowled through the gate.

Jayasuriya finished with five for 107, while seamers Asitha Fernando and Kasun Rajitha shared five wickets between them.

Jayasuriya ended the game with eight wickets, having taken three in the first innings.

Despite the loss, Afghanistan’s fast bowlers were impressive, with Naveed Zadran picking up four wickets in Sri Lanka’s first innings on his debut.

Hundreds by former captains Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal helped Sri Lanka to their first-innings total of 439.

The pair were involved in a record 232-run stand for the fourth wicket, the highest-scoring partnership at Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club for that wicket.

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said he was disappointed because they lost the game despite managing a “good comeback”.

“I think it’s the lack of experience in Test cricket and also not having a lot of opportunities to play red-ball cricket,” Shahidi said.

“We’re new in Test cricket and it’s a learning process for us. I hope that we learn from this game.”

The match was not part of the World Test Championship.

The teams will now move to Kandy for a three-match ODI series, followed by three T20 Internationals in Dambulla. – AFP

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Sorkh Poshan Khafi secures ACL title with crushing 7-0 win over Khurasan Faryab

Published

8 minutes ago

November 11, 2026

Ariana News

Sorkh Poshan Khafi have mathematically secured the sixth-season Roshan Afghanistan Champions League title after recording a commanding 7-0 victory over Khurasan Faryab in the competition’s 82nd match on Wednesday.

The Herat-based side moved to 47 points from 17 matches, putting the championship beyond the reach of their closest rivals with one fixture still remaining in their campaign.

The title was effectively decided by the result, rather than the conclusion of the competition, as other teams still have matches to play.

Before Wednesday’s encounter, Sorkh Poshan had 44 points, six ahead of second-placed Abu Muslim Farah. Even if Abu Muslim win both of their remaining matches, they can reach only 44 points, leaving Sorkh Poshan uncatchable.

Sorkh Poshan took a 1-0 lead into half-time in Wednesday’s match before producing a devastating second-half display, scoring six additional goals to complete the 7-0 rout.

The victory also confirmed the club’s outstanding consistency throughout the campaign, establishing them as the season’s dominant side.

Sorkh Poshan will play their final league fixture against Omar Zawak on November 15, giving the team an opportunity to finish their campaign on another high note.

Khurasan Faryab, meanwhile, are scheduled to face Sarsabz Yashlar on November 14 as the remaining league fixtures continue.

The sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League features 10 clubs competing in a league format, with the title now decided ahead of the final round of matches.

Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) broadcasts all matches of the competition live on Ariana Television.

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Historic first for Rahmat Shah after ICC rankings update

It was Rahmat’s fifth Test century of his career and second this year and it helped the 33-year-old jump in front of the likes of India captain Shubman Gill.

Published

6 hours ago

November 11, 2026

Ariana News

Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah has created history by becoming the first player from his country to enter the top 10 in any category of the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings.

Rahmat climbs six spots to seventh on the rankings for Test batters following his innings of 173 in the opening match of Afghanistan’s two-game series with Zimbabwe in Sharjah, with the in-form right-hander reaching a new career-high rating in the process.

It was Rahmat’s fifth Test century of his career and second this year and it helped the 33-year-old jump in front of the likes of India captain Shubman Gill, South Africa opener Aiden Markram and Sri Lanka left-hander Kamindu Mendis and earn a spot inside the top 10 for the very first time.

It caps off a good fortnight for Afghanistan, who earlier this month achieved their highest-ever spot on the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings when they rose to sixth on the back of a tri-series triumph over Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

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Omar Zawak thrash Istiqlal Kabul 5-1 in ACL

Published

1 day ago

November 10, 2026

Ariana News

Omar Zawak secured an emphatic 5-1 victory over Istiqlal Kabul in the 80th match of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan, delivering an impressive attacking performance.

The match was played in Kabul on Tuesday. Both teams struggled to find the back of the net in the first half, which ended goalless.

However, Omar Zawak stepped up their attacking efforts in the second half, scoring five goals to take control of the match. Istiqlal Kabul managed to score just once as Omar Zawak sealed a convincing 5-1 victory.

Omar Zawak will face Ariana Khost in their next match on November 12, while Istiqlal Kabul will take on Aino Mina Kandahar on the same day.

All matches of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League are broadcast live on Ariana Television.