Sri Lanka Advance to Asia Cup Super Four Eliminating Afghanistan

Sep 19, 2025 - 22:00

The Asia Cup 2025 group stage was a drama. Sri Lanka sailed into the Super Four on net run rate and knocked Afghanistan off despite a gallant fightback by Mohammad Nabi.

Afghanistan finished with 169-8 following an amazing rescue mission by Nabi, who smashed 60 out of 22 balls with five straight sixes in his last over. His late fireworks restored the Afghan hopes when the team had gone as low as 79-6. Nuwan Thushara, who made 4-18, kept them on the back foot throughout the innings.

But the qualification was heaped against Afghanistan. The chase did not lose its way as Sri Lanka only needed 101 runs to guarantee the progress. No slip-ups were allowed by Kusal Mendis, who had 74 of 52 balls, and Kamindu Mendis put in some final aggression to win the game by eight balls to spare.

The outcome formally secured Bangladesh’s place in the Super Four, too, as Bangladesh, alongside Sri Lanka in Group B, had secured qualification, so the country was going to play some blockbuster games before long. On Saturday, Sri Lanka will fight a first Super Four game with Bangladesh, and on Sunday, the much-anticipated game of India against Pakistan will take place in Dubai.

In the case of Afghanistan, this killing was very hurtful considering the brilliance of Nabi. Their inability to record a larger total by the time something out of the ordinary occurred on their side, and over-dependence on a single batter, eventually became fatal.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, showed its ability to remain calm under pressure by intelligently taking the net run rate advantage in its progression. It is now in the position of defending champions, and it will now be seeking to strengthen its middle-order batting before the more difficult Super Four encounters.