Sri Lanka win Asiad cricket, first gold medal in 12 years

9 years ago | Posted in: Sports | 680 Views

Unlike the previous day, when Sri Lanka won a coin toss to get into the gold medal match after their semi-final with Bangladesh was washed out, luck played no part in the final.

With a strong squad featuring three members of the team that won this year’s Twenty20 World Cup, Sri Lanka were too experienced and streetwise for their Afghan opponents.

Although they struggled with the bat, losing their last nine wickets for just 54 runs to be dismissed for 133 in their last over, Sri Lanka’s bowlers had no problems on a lively pitch.

They ripped through the opposition batting lineup in less than 18 overs, as Afghanistan crumbled to be all out for just 65.

Afghanistan made a bright start, reaching 20 without loss, before the wheels suddenly fell off. Opener Najeeb Tarakai top scored with 17 but only two others made double figures.

Sri Lanka captain Lahiru Thirimanne top scored for his team with 57 off just 37 balls, hitting seven boundaries and one towering six, as his country captured its first gold medal at the Asian Games, in any sport, since 2002.

“This is a great feeling, because this is our first gold medal since 2002,” said Thirimanne.

“These type of tournaments are good for our young emerging players. This will be a good platform for them.

“I think we’ll win gold in the next Asian Games as well.”

The pick of the Afghanistan bowlers was their captain Mohammad Nabi, who took four wickets for 18 runs with his off-spinners.

Like many of his team mates, Nabi was born in a refugee camp in neighbouring Pakistan during the occupation by the Soviet Union in the 1980s.

It was in those camps that many of the Afghan players first learnt the game of cricket. When they returned home in the 1990s, they took the game with them and set up a national team that has been slowly but steadily improving…. see more

source: khaleejtimes

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