Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, 2nd T20I at Dambulla, SL v AFG, Feb 19 2024 - Match Result

10:40pm Right. That will be all from us, folks. Hope you enjoyed our coverage as much as we loved /bringing it to you. We will be back again in a couple of days' time when these teams clash in the third and final T20I. Until then, this is goodbye from me (Shashwat), Ranjith and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo. Take care!

Wanindu Hasaranga, Sri Lanka captain: (On the win) Credit goes to the batters. They batted really well. Openers did a good job. Sadeera and Mathews finished well to get to a big score. I trust our bowling line-up (to defend these scores). (On becoming the second-quickest to 100 T20I wickets) I have long to go. I trust my variations and I just want to do better. (On changes for the final T20I) I want to test our bench. We have four games left before the World Cup, so I want to have a look at them (those who missed out tonight) as well.

Ibrahim Zadran, Afghanistan captain: (On the decision at the toss) I am happy with the decision. We were good till 15 overs but then we gave away lots of runs. We could not execute our bowling plans. We could not execute with the bat either. The pitch was very good. (On their approach in the powerplay) We were trying to have a good start in the powerplay. After powerplay, you can't hit big sixes, so we were trying to make the most of it. No real difference in the pitches we played. It is all about the mind. If you do not execute your plans, you cannot win.

Angelo Mathews, Player of the Match: (On how he is feeling) Feeling pretty good. Had a tight hamstring after the last game. Decided to have a fitness test (earlier today) and it all went well. (On his role) Whatever the team wants me to do, I am willing to adapt myself according to the situation. I was struggling a little bit in the first 10-15 balls. Sadeera batted brilliantly as well. That was the plan, for him to bat 17-18 overs. My plan was to have a look and then go for it. His innings helped me a lot, knowing that he was holding one end up. (On the pitch and their bowling performance) It was a very good wicket. We had to bowl good lines and lengths. Our fielding was really good today. Special mention to the Dambulla crowd, they were right behind us. Thank you very much to Dambulla.

10:18pm A pretty one-sided contest and the writing was on the wall for Afghanistan after the powerplay, where they lost five wickets and their shot selection came under the scanner. Janat and Nabi sparkled but chasing 188, against a highly-skillled Sri Lankan attack, that was never going to be enough.

Speaking of Sri Lanka, everything they tried with the ball came off. Mathews set the game up with two early wickets. Theekshana then removed Gurbaz, with Binura's two-wicket fifth over firmly breaking the back of Afghanistan's run-chase. Hasaranga also wrote himself into the history books, becoming the second-fastest to 100 T20I wickets and ensuring that Sri Lanka finished off this game with the minimial of fuss.

Farooqi is the last batter in

Pathirana to bowl the 17th. 78 needed off 24