Ibrahim, Rahmat guide Afghanistan to Victory in the 1st ODI

Afghanistan, banking on batting heroics from Ibrahim Zadran (98), Rahmat Shah (55), Hashmatullah Shahidi (38) & Mohammad Nabi (27*), successfully chased down the 269-run target set by Sri Lanka, to win by game by 6 wickets and take 1-0 lead in the Series.

Home Media International 02 Jun 2023

Ibrahim, Rahmat guide Afghanistan to Victory in the 1st ODI

Afghanistan, banking on batting heroics from Ibrahim Zadran (98), Rahmat Shah (55), Hashmatullah Shahidi (38) & Mohammad Nabi (27*), successfully chased down the 269-run target set by Sri Lanka, to win by game by 6 wickets and take 1-0 lead in the Series.

Opting to field first, Afghanistan's bowlers put up a commendable performance to restrict Sri Lanka to a total of 268 runs. The Afghan bowlers exhibited their skills quite well, with Fareed Ahmad (2/43) and Fazal Haq Farooqi (2/58) leading the attack by taking two wickets each. Mohammad Nabi (1/31), Azmatullah Omarzai (1/35), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (1/45), and Noor Ahmad (1/54) also contributed with one wicket each, ensuring that Sri Lanka's batting lineup faced constant pressure.

Chasing the target of 269 runs, Afghanistan showcased a strong batting performance, led by Ibrahim Zadran's brilliant knock of 98 runs. He was well-supported by Rahmat Shah, who scored a valuable 55 runs. This was his 23rd overall and 4th half-century against Sri Lanka. The Skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (38) also did well by contributing 38 runs to the team's total. Mohammad Nabi played a crucial unbeaten inning of 27 runs, steering Afghanistan toward victory as Afghanistan chased down the target by 6 wickets with 19 balls remaining.

Ibrahim Zadran, who had scored a valuable 98 runs in the match was awarded the best player of the match. Afghanistan will meet the hosts again in the 2nd match of three-match ODI series on Sunday.