Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, 1st T20I at Dambulla, SL v AFG, Feb 17 2024 - Match Result

10.55pm That's all from Dambulla today. Some excellent individual performances. Sri Lanka and Afghanistan will also both be happy with how they went about things in the field and between the wickets. Madushka Balasuriya's report will be up soon. For now, this is Abhimanyu signing off on behalf of our scorer Chetan Kumar and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo. Good night!

10.47pm Time for the presentation ceremony

Matheesha Pathirana is the player of the match! "Always wanted to win this match. Played so long after my debut in T20s. Don't know how to express my happiness. I bowled in these phases a lot of the time, in IPL also, so i have some experience. [The 19th over] My mind was just 'I want to win this match' so I tried whatever I could do and it worked."

Sri Lanka captain Wanindu Hasaranga: "To be honest, we were 15-20 runs short but our bowlers did a great job. [On his knock] When their spinners come, I tried to do my basic things. We played with seven batters and one allrounder and I think batsmen should take more responsibility." Appreciates the sellout crowd at the stadium and requests them to keep turning up for the next two games.

Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran: "I don't like losing, but that's part of the game. We gave our best in the field but we will try to come back stronger in the next game. Yes 160 was a chaseable target. We had a good start in the powerplay. We gave them wickets in the middle, our batsmen didn't take the responsibility. I can give credit to Sri Lankan bowlers, the way they bowled. They turned the game away from us. [On his knock] To be honest, I am happy but not satisfied with that. I wanted to finish that game for my country. I want to finish more games. I will try to improve my batting and win these kind of games."

10.40pm So the first ever men's T20I at this ground was a thrilling affair, with the home side victorious in the end! Matheeha Pathirana and Wanindu Hasaranga are the two men they have to thank for that, largely, and of course Binura Fernando, who came back after being expensive in his first three overs to bowl a brilliant final over to Ibrahim Gurbaz while defending 11. The Afghanistan skipper stayed unbeaten till the end, scoring the exact number of runs as Sri Lanka's captain. Hasaranga's belligerent innings saw Sri Lanka get to 160, after they were in trouble at 55 for 1. They could have scored more if not for a late order collapse. But in the end, the bowlers did enough to deny Afghanistan a first win of this tour.

Brian: "After being 50 off 39, Ibrahim then makes 17 more off 16 balls through the last 6 overs.Strange to say it, but he lost that match for Afghanistan." That's harsh to say, but Ibrahim does need to work on his power-hitting game. You can't have a lull of six overs without a boundary as a team! But I am sure he will learn quickly, he is an excellent player.

TC: "I have been rightfully humbled. That was some excellent work by Binura Fernando in the final over. " Yup, he gave Ibrahim nothing to work with. Nailed those wide yorkers, and saw out those first four balls. Almost got a wicket too. No boundaries given away, it was very well bowled. Great of him to keep his composure despite being under the pump.

Akindu: "This has been a real captains game. Brillaint stuff from both zadran and wanindu"

Afghanistan need 11 runs to win. Sri Lanka need one wicket. 10 runs and it's a super over. Binura Fernando will bowl the last over! We have to wait as officials deal with the stumps that were left in a mess a few times by Pathirana in that last over!

TC: "Why on earth has Wanidu given the final over to Binura when he has been incredibly expensive the whole day, especially with Ibrahim Zadran on strike. Isn't Shanaka a better option?" Even I thought it would have been Shanaka!

Joe : "Good penultimate over by Pathirana" Good is an understatement!

SL FAN: "Pathirana breathing fire..."

Achaambidiya : "18.3 Too Good for Noor "

Naveen now

Afghanistan will be happy with just singles here. Sri Lanka need wickets and/or dots!

14 needed off the last two overs. Who will bowl the 19th? Looks like it will be Pathirana. Can he give whoever bowls the final over enough to defend?

Achiya Sollithu: "Feel pathirana has given away some easy runs in the form of wides"

Theekshana to bowl the 18th over