Afghanistan’s second-string squad, Afghanistan A, clinched their first-ever ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup title, defeating Sri Lanka A by seven wickets in a decisive performance.
The team’s pursuit of the modest 134-run target was spearheaded by opener Sediqullah Atal, who scored a steady 55 off 55 balls, propelling Afghanistan to victory in just 18.1 overs.
Afghanistan’s bowlers dominated early on, with Allah Gul Ghazanfar and Bilal Sami each taking two wickets in the powerplay. Their combined efforts restricted Sri Lanka to a modest 133 all out.
Despite an early setback when Zubair Akbari was dismissed on the first ball, Afghanistan’s chase was anchored by Darwish Rasoli and Atal, followed by Karim Janat, who contributed a quick 33 off 27 balls to seal the win.
Atal’s performance earned him the title of Player of the Tournament, with an impressive total of 368 runs across the tournament.
