Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, Asia Cup 2022 Highlights: AFG race to 8-wicket win, blow SL away in tournament opener

And they have done so with nearly 10 overs to spare. Some sweet NRR rewards for Afghanistan and NRR curses for Sri Lanka to deal with for the rest of the tournament. Regardless of what they do after this in this group stage, this result will always hang over all of it. Afghanistan showed exactly how to smash down a tiny target in a tournament today and this is almost a statement win.

And it has come in just 8.3 overs. They need six runs to win off, wait for it, 69 balls. Afghanistan have a very good chance of winning this, you know. 

That's the end of a brilliant innings that might just give Afghanistan a major boost in the net run rate race. Wanindu Hasaranga does his unique celebration rather sheepishly after Gurbaz strides down the track to him, misses the googly completely and sees the ball hit the stumps unimpeded. 

Gurbaz b Hasaranga 40 (18), Afghanistan 83/1 in 6.1 overs

This game might just be over before the first 10 overs of the Afghanistan innings. Rahmanullah Gurbaz has raced to 34 off 15 balls, Afghanistan 62/0 after 5 overs

20-year-old Rahmanullah Gurbaaz leading the way for Afghanistan. He starts the fifth over with two back to back sixes. One over deep backward square, then the next straight over the bowler's head. 

Afghanistan's batting is just as efficient as their bowling and fielding thus far. Hazratullah Zazai ends the 4th over with a six 

Theekshana bowls it down the leg side and it goes past Kusal Mendis as well. A couple of more runs to Afghanistan. Four runs from the second over.

AFG 15-0

Maheesh Theekshana comes into the attack and traps Gurbaz on the very first delivery... but wait! Afghanistan challenge the decision and it's going down the leg. Gurbaz survives!

Gurbaz shuffled across to sweep but missed. Luckily, it was missing the leg-stump.

AFG 11-0

Madushanka bowls it down the leg side and the keeper can't get a hand to it! Five wides to Afghanistan in the very first over.

AFG 7-0

Hazratullah Zazai and Gurbaz start for Afghanistan, Dilshan Madushanka opens the attack for Sri Lanka.

Afghanistan need 106 runs to win in 20 overs

Farooqi gets his third, cleans up Karunaratne to end the Sri Lankan innings. Karunaratne has played a valiant knock here, taking his team past the 100-run mark but Sri Lanka will need to pull off a monumental bowling effort here to defend this. Afghanistan have been almost flawless, let's see how their batting fairs. 

Chamika Karunaratne playing a valuable hand here, having scored 25 runs so far with number 11 Dilshan Madushanka. Their partnership is already Sri Lanka's second highest of the match. It has been that kind of an innings.

Catching practice for Najibullah Zadran at slips as Pathirana falls to a swipe, a shot he has been trying repeatedly throughout his stay at the crease. 

Pathirana c Najibullah Zadran b Mohammad Nabi 5 (12), SL 75/9 in 15 overs

Sri Lanka are a-collapsin' here. Another ridiculous attempt at a single, no run there in any form of cricket in the world. The keeper has all the time in the world to whip off the bails and Theekshana goes. Sri Lanka committing hara-kiri. 

Theekshana run out (Rahmanullah Gurbaz) 0 (0), Sri Lanka 69/8 in 12.3 overs

A mix-up, the last thing Sri Lanka wanted, and a brilliant throw from Nabi and Rajapaksa is the man who has to go. 

Rajapaksa run out (Mohammad Nabi) 38 (29), Sri Lanka 69/7 in 12.2 overs

Nabi strikes first ball after drinks, Shanaka gone for a golden duck. He dangles his bat outside off stump and gets an edge to the keeper, who did well to make the tiny, split second adjustment to take the catch from point blank range. Sri Lanka are six down and Rashid Khan has bowled just one over for no wicket! 

Shanaka c Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Mohammad Nabi 0 (1) Sri Lanka 64/6 in 10.1 overs

Credit where its due for Afghanistan. There has been one dropped catch but apart from that, they have been on point throughout. However, it has to be said that Sri Lanka have been undone by a combination of poor batting and sheer bad luck. 

Another one falls and Wanindu Hasaranga will be disappointed with himself for that. He has been heaving since arriving at the crease with seemingly no control at all and this time he falls. He skies it straight down the throat of mid-on where Afghanistan captain Nabi makes no mistake. 

Hasaranga c Mohammad Nabi b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2 (8), Sri Lanka 60/5 in 9.2 overs

Mujeeb-ur-Rahman gets the breakthrough! Gunnathilaka brings out the reverse sweep, connects well but hits it straight to point! 44-run stand between Rajapaksa and Gunathilaka ends. 

Gunathilaka c Karim Janat b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 17 (17), Sri Lanka 49/4 after 7.2 overs

Some more drama. Afghanistan appeal for caught behind down the leg side but the umpore ends up signalling a wide! Mohammad Nabi, the bowler and the captain, straightaway goes upstairs. But there is nothing on ultraedge and so the batter survives, but then the umpire also signals the end of the over which means that the wide has been revoked? But the run remains added! Scratch that, the run has now been taken off so Sri Lanka have not reached their team 50! Quite bizarre this from the officials. 

Gunathilaka and Rajapaksa make the powerplay a little better for Sri Lanka. Rajapaksa hits back to back fours off the last two balls while Gunathilaka hit another boundary in the over after his scoop. 

Sri Lanka 41/3 after 6 overs

Gunathilaka with the scoop! Azmatullah Omarzai has been brought on and Gunathilaka nails the shot to send it to the boundary behind the keeper. 

Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Danushka Gunathilaka providing some reprieve for the embattled Sri Lankans. Rajapaksha, who had set the IPL on fire earlier this year with the Punjab Kings, hits the first six of the innings off the second ball of the over straight down the ground, one of the longer parts of the field. Gunathilaka then ends the over with a four. 

The Sri Lankan dressing room all hold their hands up in disbelief. That is quite an extraordinary situation. A shout for an edge behind, the umpire raises his finger and Naveen-ul-Haq celebrates. But batter Pathum Nissanka takes the review. There is no visible flicker on ultra edge but the third umpire ends up giving it out anyway! Nissanka can't believe it. He stands there for a few seconds utterly stunned before dragging himself off the field. Drama already and we are hardly past the first two overs of the Asia Cup. 

Nissanka c Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Naveen-ul-Haq 3 (7), Sri Lanka 5/3 in 2 overs

Another appeal for LBW and another wicket! No reviews burned this time. Length ball directed outside off and zipping in. It whizzes past the inside edge and hits Charith Asalanka in front of off stump.  

Asalanka lbw b Fazalhaq Farooqi 0 (1), Sri Lanka 3/2 after 1 over