AFG vs SL Highlights, World Cup 2019: Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan by 34 runs - as it happened

AFG vs SL in World Cup 2019: Sri Lanka recovered from a dramatic batting collapse to knock over Afghanistan for 152 and seal a 34-run win for its first victory at the Cricket World Cup on Tuesday. The Sri Lankans imploded from 144-1 to 201 all out in an innings delayed by nearly three hours because of rain at Sophia Gardens in the Welsh capital.

Chasing a revised target of 187 from a maximum 21 overs, Afghanistan slumped from 34-0 to 57-5 then battled back through a 64-run stand between Gulbadin Naib (23) and Najibullah Zadran (43). Sri Lanka again responded and took the final five wickets for 31 runs, with recalled seamer Nuwan Pradeep getting 4-31.

The 1996 World Cup winner lost its opening group game to New Zealand by 10 wickets. Afghanistan has two defeats from two matches, after a loss to Australia on Saturday. The error-strewn match in Cardiff featured 52 extras - Sri Lanka's 35 was the second-highest scorer in the scorecard - to strengthen the feeling this was a contest between the two teams likely fighting to avoid last place in the 10-team group.

Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka: Scorecard

Sri Lanka 201 ( 36.5 overs)

Afghanistan 152 ( 32.4 overs )

Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka (AFG vs SL): As it happened

22:40 IST: OUT! Another yorker from Malinga ends the match. Sri Lanka win by 34 runs via D/L method as Afghanistan are all out for 152.

22:25 IST: OUT! Lasith Malinga bowls one those special ones- it is a well-directed yorker and it beats Dawlat and hits the stumps. 

22:55 IST: OUT! Big wicket- Nuwan Pradeep has broken the partnership. Gulbadin Naib (23) as Afghanistan need 66 runs more in 97 balls.

22:40 IST: Afghanistan pass the 100-run mark in the 22nd over. Najibullah and Gulabdin have built a sweet little partnership here. 

22:02 IST: OUT! Another beauty, another wicket- it was perfectly bowled by Thissara Perera. It beats Mohommad Nabi and finds his stumps.  Afghanistan are 57/5 now.

22:00 IST: What a ripper from Nuwan Pradeep- it rises off the pitch and forces Hashmatullah Shahidi to edge one to the wicketkeeper. 

21:41IST: OUT! Hazratullah Zazai (30) is gone- Thisara Perera takes a very good catch as Nuwan Pradeep strikes. 

21:35 IST: Isuru Udana strikes- Rahmat Shah is gone. 

21:19 IST: OUT! Lasith Malinga finally gets his man- Mohammad Shahzad (7) sends it straight to Dimuth Karunaratne. 

21:17 IST: DROPPED! Kusal Mendis drops a sitter. Zazai had sent it high and it looked like an easy one but Mendis managed to mess it up.

21:10 IST: It has been a good start for Afghanistan- they are 22/0 after 3 overs. Zazai has been the more aggressive one. 

20:55 IST: The chase begins- Hazratullah Zazai and Mohammad Shahzad at the crease. Lasith Malinga to start for Sri Lanka. 

20:43 IST: OUT! THAT'S IT FROM SRI LANKA INNINGS. Sri Lanka are all out for just 201 runs. Afghanistan will need 187 to win the match in 41 overs to win the match via D/L method.

20:38 IST: OUT! Dawlat Zadran picks up his second- he sends down a yorker and Lasith Malinga's stumps are disturbed. Sri Lanka lose their ninth for 199.

20:20 IST: THE GAME WILL RESTART- So we are ready to again. It will be 41-overs per side match now with ten minute innings turnover. The target will be revised at the end of the Sri Lanka innings. 

17:40 IST: RAIN STOPS PLAY! The covers are out as rain gets thick. Afghanistan will be hoping play resumes soon as they are on top right now. Sri Lanka 182/8 after 33 overs.

17:32 IST: OUT! Kusal Perera’s resistance ends for 78. Rashid Khan takes his first wicket. 

17:25 IST: OUT! Dawlat Zadran has wicket now. Isuru Udaba goes for the big hit and misses- the ball does the rest. 

17:05 IST: OUT! It's a run out. The Pereras- Kusal and Thisara have a failure to communicate and Hashmatullah Shahidi sends a great return. Mohammad Shehzad takes the bails off as Sri Lanka lose their sixth wicket. It's Thissara who walks back.

16:49 IST: OUT! This time Hamid Hassan takes the wicket. Dhananjaya de Silva nicks one behind to Shehzad. Sri Lanka 149/5 now in 23 overs.

16:42 IST: Another one bites the dust- Angelo Mathews is out for a duck. Sri Lanka go from 144/1 to 146/4 in the space of 5 balls.

16:40 IST: Mohammad Nabi takes his second wicket in the over. Kusal Mendis departs for just 2. 

16: 38 IST: Nabi gets the breakthrough- Lahiru Thirimanne plays it on to his stumps. He goes for 25.

16:24 IST: Sri Lanka have reached 139 for 1 in 20 overs. They have already surpassed the score they made in their first match against New Zealand.

16:07 IST: 3000 ODI runs for Lahiru Thirimanne! With this Sri Lanka post 100 on the scoreboard.

15:58 IST: Sri Lanka skipper Karunaratne departs for 30. Mohammad Nabi gets the breakthrough! Karunaratne c Najibullah b Nabi 30(45) [4s-3].

Lahiru Thirimanne makes it to the middle.

15:49 IST: Sri Lanka reach 79 without loss in the first 10 overs.

This is the highest Powerplay score for Sri Lanka when batting first since April 2015:

79 vs Afg Cardiff 2019

76 vs Ban Colombo 2017

76 vs Eng Pallekele 2018

72 vs Eng Colombo 2018

71 vs WI Bulawayo 2016

15:28 IST: 50 up for Sri Lanka in the fifth over. It has been a good start by the Lankan team.

15:00 IST: HERE WE GO! Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Perera at the crease.

14:34 IST: Afghanistan win the toss and opt to field first.

Teams:

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Lahiru Thirimanne, Dimuth Karunaratne(c), Kusal Perera(w), Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga.

Afghanistan (Playing XI): Mohammad Shahzad(w), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib(c), Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Hamid Hassan.