Afghanistan A emerged as champions of the ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024, defeating Sri Lanka A by seven wickets at Al Amerat Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Sri Lanka A set a modest target of 133/7. Captain Nuwanidu Fernando’s side was buoyed by Sahan Arachchige’s unbeaten 64 off 47 balls, featuring six sixes. Contributions from Nimesh Vimukthi (23) and Pawan Rathnayake (20) helped stabilize the innings. Afghanistan’s bowlers shone, led by Bilal Sami, who took 3 for 22, and Allah Ghazanfar, who claimed two wickets.
Afghanistan A faced an early setback when Zubaid Akbari fell for a duck on the first ball. However, Sediqullah Atal anchored the chase with a solid 55 off 55 balls, building a crucial partnership with Darwish Rasooli, who added 24 off 20 balls. Karim Janat (33 off 27) and Mohammad Ishaq (16 off 6) pushed Afghanistan over the line with three overs to spare.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled to curb the Afghan batting lineup, with only Eshan Malinga, Dushan Hemantha, and Sahan Arachchige managing to take wickets.
This well-rounded performance secured Afghanistan A the championship title, marking a proud moment for the team and a significant achievement in their T20 cricket journey.
