The first T20 match of the three-match series between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan ended in a nail-biting finish, with Sri Lanka winning the match by 4 runs.

Wanindu Hasaranga’s blazing half-century and Matheesha Pathirana’s impressive four-for before Binura Fernando held nerve, despite Afghan captain Ibrahim Zadran’s fighting 67 in the first T20I to be played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium (RDICS).

Sri Lanka scored 160 for all-out in 19 overs with top scorer Wanindu Hasaranga hammering a 67 off 32 balls including 7-fours & 3-sixes with a strike rate of 209.37.

Sadeera Samarawickrama hit 25 off 24 balls including 3-fours, Dhananjaya de Silva struck 24 off 17 balls including 2 fours & a six and Kusal Mendis 10.

Afghanistan bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi picked up 3 wickets for 25 runs in 4 overs, while Naveen-ul-Haq, Azmatullah Omarzai both took 2-wickets and one for Noor Ahmad - Karim Janat.

Afghanistan scored 156 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 20 overs with the top scorer Ibrahim Zadran hitting an unbeaten 67 off 55 balls including 8-fours with a strike rate of 121.81.

Karim Janat scored 20 runs off 16 balls including 3-fours and Gulbadin Naib hit 16 off 17 balls including 2 fours.

Sri Lankan bowler Matheesha Pathirana was titled Player of the Match after he claimed a career-best 4-wicket haul for 24 runs in 4 overs, Dasun Shanaka captured two wickets, while Angelo Mathews, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana each took one-wickets.