The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
So that is it from the series. This is Probuddha Bhattacharjee taking your leave on behalf of my friend Mohul Bhowmick. You can change tabs and enjoy the live action from cricketing world on Sportskeeda.
Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka Captain): I am pleased with the way team played in absence of Wanindu and Theekshana. I am happy with the way the team has adjusted to the playing conditions. I am happy that all our units have done well throughout the series. The next World Cup is in South Africa and that is a few years away but this is the start of the preparation for us. Well, to finish off I would like to thank the curators and ground staff and everybody who made this series possible, also a big thanks to the audience for coming out and supporting us.
Hashmatullah Shahidi (Afghanistan Captain): Yeah, the result did not go our way. I think Sri Lanka played outstanding cricket in all three departments through out the series. So, congratulations to them. As far as our game is considered, we failed to capitalise in the last ten overs while batting. Yeah, we missed Rashid and Mujeeb throughout the series. I wish they get fit quickly and join us in the upcoming series. They are the main cogs in our machinery and if they were here we would have performed better. I will not be a part of the T20 series, but I wish all the best to my team for it.
Pathum Nissanka (Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament): I did not know about the records I created. I thank my father, who is my first coach. The plan was for me and Avishka to bat well and get our team off to a good start.
Match End!!!!
Sri Lanka have scored 267/3 from 35.2 overs. They have won the match by seven wickets with 88 balls remaining in the match.
Afghanistan put up a competitive total after batting first on winning the toss. In the chase, Sri Lanka started off nicely. The opening duo brought up the team’s 50 in just seven overs. Fernando and Nissanka were looking pretty comfortable at this stage and batting seemed pretty easy for them.
They continued the onslaught and had the team positioned comfortably at 83 for no loss at the end of the first powerplay. They continued their good work and brought up the century partnership in just 14 overs. The Afghan bowlers had no answer to the pair and the Sri Lankan opening wagon continued to roll on.
Nissanka and Fernando looked determined to finish the game off early and they made a meal of the Afghan bowlers in the process. The duo scored 173 runs for the first wicket in just 23 overs before Fernando (91 off 66) was dismissed.
Even after the dismissal for his opening partner, Nissanka continued to bat in his aggressive style. Things seemed too easy for him and he made the most of the opportunities presented to him. He went on to get past the three-figure mark off just 89 deliveries. Along with Kusal Mendis, Nissanka had a partnership of 78 runs from 55 balls and that ensured that Sri Lanka will get past the target with plenty of balls to spare.
Both Mendis (40 off 29) and Nissanka were dismissed towards the end but that did not at all effect the chase for the Lankans. They got over the line with seven wickets in hand and 88 balls to spare in the match. The Sri Lankans complete a 3-0 whitewash over the Afghans with this win. It has been a clinical show by the team throughout the series.
36.0
35.2 Mohammad Nabi to Sadeera Samarawickrama, FOUR AND SRI LANKA WIN THIS GAME! Tossed up at a length on off and middle, turns back in. Samarawickrama comes down the track and manages to whip it up and over midwicket for a boundary! That concludes the game and the series, which Sri Lanka win 3-0!
35.1 Mohammad Nabi to Charith Asalanka, back of a length outside off, turns away. Asalanka pokes at it but gets a thick outside edge wide of short third man. A single taken.
Asalanka and Samarawickrama are doing this the steady way. They are just taking the one and twos and getting the job done.