In Photos: ICC World Cup 2023 – Afghanistan’s Ascendancy Dents Sri Lanka’s Rise

#CWC23 #AFGvsSL | #Afghanistan's steady progress continues as they defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets.

(Photo: PTI)

ICC World Cup 2023: Afghanistan and Sri Lanka met in the 30th match of the competition, where Hashmatullah Shahidi's team secured a seven-wicket victory.

ICC World Cup 2023: Bowling first, the Afghans had a good start as pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne in only the sixth over.

ICC World Cup 2023: However, it was followed by a commendable 62-run second-wicket stand for Sri Lanka, between Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis.

ICC World Cup 2023: Pathum Nissanka was only four runs shy of what would have been his 14th ODI century, when he lost his wicket to Azmatullah Omarzai.

ICC World Cup 2023: Kusal Mendis could not get to a half-century either, as when he was batting on 39, Mujeeb Ur Rahman got the better of the Sri Lankan skipper.

ICC World Cup 2023: But the Lankans had another rebuilding phase, led by Sadeera Samarawickrama, who has emerged as a rare reliable figure in the team's middle-order.

ICC World Cup 2023: Mujeeb dismissed Samarawickrama when he was batting on 36. Since that dismissal, no Sri Lankan batter could hold fort for the team.

ICC World Cup 2023: Rashid Khan was a bit late to the party, but he did open his wickets tally by getting the better of Dhananjaya de Silva.

ICC World Cup 2023: The star of Afghanistan's bowling display, however, was Fazalhaq Farooqi. He scalped a four-wicket haul, as the Lankans were bowled out for 241.

ICC World Cup 2023: Defending a low total, Sri Lanka had a dream start as Dilshan Madushanka dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz on a duck in the very first over.

ICC World Cup 2023: But the other Afghan opener, Ibrahim Zadran ensured there isn't any procession of wickets. He scored 39 runs in 57 deliveries.

ICC World Cup 2023: Rahmat Shah played yet another crucial knock in this tournament, proving his mettle whilst chasing. The veteran scored 62 runs.

ICC World Cup 2023: Kasun Rajitha dismissed Rahmat Shah in the 28th over to give Sri Lanka a glimmer of hope, but it proved to be nothing more than a smokescreen.

ICC World Cup 2023: A 111-run match-winning third-wicket stand between Azmatullah Omarzai and Hashmatullah Shahidi took Afghanistan over the line, handing them their third win in this tournament.

ICC World Cup 2023: Shahidi played a leader's knock, scoring 58 runs in 74 deliveries.

ICC World Cup 2023: Omarzai, on the contrary, was the more courageous of the pair, accumulating 73 runs in 63 deliveries.