Asia Cup 2023 Miscalculation led to Afghanistan’s dramatic defeat against Sri Lanka

Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup 2023: In the Asia Cup 2023, the Afghanistan team lost the chance to reach the Super-4 due to a 2-run defeat against Sri Lanka. The main reason for this defeat is believed to be wrong calculation regarding net runrate. The Afghan team had made the match very exciting, but after the defeat, all the major players including Rashid Khan looked very disappointed.

The Sri Lankan team scored 291 runs while batting first in this match. Keeping in mind their poor net runrate, Afghanistan had to achieve this target in 37.1 overs to reach the Super-4. After the completion of the game of 37 overs, the Afghanistan team had also scored 289 runs at the loss of 8 wickets.

After this, the team had to score only 3 runs on the first ball of the next over, but the wicket of Mujeeb ur Rehman fell. Afghanistan felt that their dream of reaching the Super-4 was also shattered. Disappointment was clearly visible on the face of Rashid Khan, who was batting at that time. While the rest of the players in the dressing room also looked completely disappointed. At the same time, Fazhalak Farooqi, who came in as the last batsman, could not manage to open the account despite facing 3 balls and lost his wicket.

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— Nihari Korma (@NihariVsKorma) 6 September 2023

Afghanistan could have reached Super-4 even after 37.1 overs

Even though Afghanistan’s team considered the hope of reaching Super-4 in the first match to be over, but according to the calculation, they could have entered the next round even after 37.1 overs. For this, the team had to score 295 runs till the fourth ball of the 38th over. In which Rashid Khan would have got a strike and if he had hit a six, the team could have reached the Super-4. On the other hand, if Afghanistan had scored 295 runs by the fifth ball of the 38th over, then Sri Lanka and their net runrate would have become equal, in such a situation, which team would go to Super-4, it would have been decided by tossing a coin again.

Afghan team captain expressed disappointment

After the defeat in this match, Afghanistan team captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said that we are very disappointed with this defeat. We fought well in the match and tried to give our 100 per cent. I am proud of my team because of the way we batted while chasing the target. I think we have done much better in the ODI format in the last few years. We are still learning a lot. We will try to learn from our mistakes and play better in the upcoming World Cup.

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