Afghanistan A secured impressed seven-wicket victory against Sri Lanka A to clinch the Emerging Teams Asia Cup trophy in the final at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman on Sunday.
The victory was marked by standout performances from AM Ghazanfar, who was named player of the match, and Sediqullah Atal, the player of the series.
Sri Lanka A struggled in their innings, finishing at 133/7 after 20 overs. Ghazanfar was instrumental in dismantling the Sri Lankan batting lineup, claiming 2 wickets for just 14 runs in his 4 overs. Bilal Sami also contributed significantly, taking 3 wickets for 22 runs.
Sahan Arachchige was the lone fighter for Sri Lanka, scoring a commendable 64 runs off 47 balls, while the rest of the batting order faltered under pressure. Afghanistan A’s bowlers effectively restricted Sri Lanka A from building any substantial partnerships.
Chasing a target of 134 runs, Afghanistan A started shakily, losing their opener Zubaid Akbari for a duck.
However, Sediqullah Atal steadied the ship with a composed 55 not out off 55 balls, supported by Karim Janat's 33 runs. Afghanistan A reached their target in just 18.1 overs, finishing at 134/3.
The final not only marked a significant achievement for Afghanistan A but also highlighted the remarkable talent emerging from the region, with Sediqullah Atal ending the tournament as the highest run-scorer with a total of 368 runs.
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