Nuwan Pradeep and Lasith Malinga, on Tuesday, starred with the ball as Sri Lanka fought back to crush Afghanistan’s hopes of a memorable victory in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.
Afghanistan, bidding for just their second win in a World Cup match and their first over a Test nation were in command halfway through a gloomy day in Cardiff after dismissing Sri Lanka for 201.
They then got with a rain-revised target of 187 in 41 overs but their batting let them down again as the Afghans were bowled out for paltry 152 in 32.4 overs.
Pradeep took a career-best 4 for 31, while Malinga (3 for 39) struck at both ends of the innings, finishing the match with a toe-crushing yorker that cleaned up Hamid Hassan.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Well done boys!!! room for improvment but showed under presure that we do have quality. Bowling unit was excellent and Nuwan pradeep was outstanding today..👊 points on the board 👍
— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) June 4, 2019
Congratulations boys. Always have a faith on u all. Great game. Very wel bowled by nuwan Pradeep, mali and others. Great team effort boys. 👏👏👏👏👏@OfficialSLC @IamDimuth @Angelo69Mathews @KusalMendis1 @PereraThisara wel batted@KusalJPerera8 @IAmIsuru17
— Dhammika Prasad (@imDhammika) June 4, 2019
Great win @OfficialSLC .
— Salman Butt (@im_SalmanButt) June 4, 2019
Excellent bowling from Sri Lanka, hopefully, Afghanistan learn the right lessons and get better. #SLvAFG
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) June 4, 2019
Sensational win Sri Lanka. Brilliant comeback. Never gave up. Cricket unites Sri Lankans like no other. #SLvAFG #LionsRoar
— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) June 4, 2019
Thanks to @OfficialSLC getting the team selection right on that pitch they were able to get out of jail #SLvAFG #CW2019
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) June 5, 2019
#SL played the right team…and played with the right intent in parts. They are better than this….but for the time being, this shall do. First win of #CWC19
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) June 4, 2019
Lasith Malinga ended the match with his trademark yorker 🎯
SCOREBOARD–> https://t.co/IJvqyGtFQY#CWC19 #CWC2019 #CricketWorldCup #WorldCup2019 #AFGvSL pic.twitter.com/8nobJDtKVf— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) June 5, 2019
First win for Lasith Malinga since his International return in 2018 September, first ODI win for him after 2017 after 21 ODIs #Cricket pic.twitter.com/CM8iAymaNd
— Azzam Ameen (@AzzamAmeen) June 4, 2019
For his match-winning spell of 4/31, Nuwan Pradeep has been adjudged the Player of the Match! #LionsRoar pic.twitter.com/02riTqr7KZ
— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 4, 2019
