Mohammad Nabi hammers five sixes in final over to fire Afghanistan to 169/8 against Sri Lanka

Abu Dhabi, Sep 18 (PTI) Sri Lanka pacer Nuwan Thushara (4/18) struck thrice in his lethal opening spell before Mohammed Nabi played a blinder in the death overs to lead Afghanistan's sensational recovery, firing them to 169 for eight in the Asia Cup here on Thursday.

It seemed Afghanistan would struggle to get past 120 but Nabi (60 off 22) hammered five sixes in the 20th over from left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage to collect 32 runs off the six legit balls, and swing the momentum in his team's favour.

It is unusual for a spinner to bowl the final over, but captain Charith Asalanka had already exhausted his pace bowling options.

Having not chased well in the recent past, Afghanistan opted to bat but lost three wickets inside the powerplay to lose the momentum generated in the first two overs that had yielded 26 runs.

The intent, which was missing in the last game, was there but Afghanistan batters did not know how to deal with the moving ball from Thushara, who produced late swing with his slingy action, catching the likes of Karim Janat (1) and Sediquallah Atal (18 off 14) off guard.

Thushara bowled an away swinger to right-hander Janat before a similar delivery led to the downfall of the dangerous left-hander Atal, who too saw his stumps disturbed.

Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the first to get out, mistiming a wild slog that was pouched a wide slip.

Wellalage and Wanindu Hasaranga put on the squeeze in the middle overs as the wickets kept on falling, reducing Afghanistan to 79 for six in the 13th over.

But courtesy skipper Rashid Khan (24 off 23) and his 35-run seventh-wicket stand with Nabi, Afghanistan were able to cross the 140-run mark. Rashid's quickfire included a no-look six in the cow corner region -- a shot which now features regularly in his playbook.

Nabi smashed Dushmantha Chameera for three successive fours in the penultimate over that went for 17 runs. Chameera proved rather expensive on the night, leaking as many as 50 runs in his four overs.

Besides their impressive bowling effort, Sri Lanka's fielding too was on point, well summed by the catches taken by Chameera and Kusal Perera in the deep to dismiss Ibrahim Zadran (24) and Darwish Rasooli. PTI BS DDV