ICC World T20 2016 Results: Thursday's Super 10 Score, Updated Tables, Schedule
Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan in their first match at the ICC World T20 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India, on Thursday.
A 62 from Asghar Stanikzai helped Afghanistan rack up a total of 153 for seven, but Sri Lanka's class told when they took to the crease as Tillakaratne Dilshan knocked an unbeaten 83 on the way to a six-wicket victory with seven balls to spare.
The result sees the Lions pull level with the West Indies in Super 10s Group 1.
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Here are the standings following the result and the remaining schedule, and read on for a closer look at Thursday's action:
| West Indies | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +0.973 |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +0.580 |
| South Africa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Afghanistan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.580 |
| England | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.973 |
| Pakistan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +2.750 |
| New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +2.350 |
| Australia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| India | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.350 |
| Bangladesh | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.750 |
| Match 17 | Group 2 | Friday, Mar 18 | 9:30 a.m. | Australia vs. New Zealand |
| Match 18 | Group 1 | Friday, Mar 18 | 2 p.m. | South Africa vs. England |
| Match 19 | Group 2 | Saturday, Mar 19 | 2 p.m. | India vs. Pakistan |
| Match 20 | Group 1 | Sunday, Mar 20 | 9:30 a.m. | South Africa vs. Afghanistan |
| Match 21 | Group 1 | Sunday, Mar 20 | 2 p.m. | Sri Lanka vs. West Indies |
| Match 22 | Group 2 | Monday, Mar 21 | 2 p.m. | Australia vs. Bangladesh |
| Match 23 | Group 2 | Tuesday, Mar 22 | 2 p.m. | New Zealand vs. Pakistan |
| Match 24 | Group 1 | Wednesday, Mar 23 | 9:30 a.m. | England vs. Afghanistan |
| Match 25 | Group 2 | Wednesday, Mar 23 | 2 p.m. | India vs. Bangladesh |
| Match 26 | Group 2 | Friday, Mar 25 | 9:30 a.m. | Pakistan vs. Australia |
| Match 27 | Group 1 | Friday, Mar 25 | 2 p.m. | South Africa vs. West Indies |
| Match 28 | Group 2 | Saturday, Mar 26 | 9:30 a.m. | Bangladesh vs. New Zealand |
| Match 29 | Group 1 | Saturday, Mar 26 | 2 p.m. | Sri Lanka vs. England |
| Match 30 | Group 1 | Sunday, Mar 27 | 9:30 a.m. | Afghanistan vs. West Indies |
| Match 31 | Group 2 | Sunday, Mar 27 | 2 p.m. | India vs. Australia |
| Match 32 | Group 1 | Monday, Mar 28 | 2 p.m. | South Africa vs. Sri Lanka |
| Semi-Final 1 | Knockout | Wednesday, Mar 30 | 1:30 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD |
| Semi-Final 2 | Knockout | Thursday, Mar 31 | 1:30 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD |
| Final | Knockout | Sunday, Apr 3 | 1:30 p.m. | TBD vs. TBD |
Sri Lanka vs. Afghanistan
Sri Lanka 155 for four (Dilshan 83*) beat Afghanistan 153 for seven (Stanikzai 62, Samiullah Shenwari 31) by six wickets.
Click here for full scorecard.
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first.
The Afghans were dealt an early blow when top-of-the-order batsman Mohammad Shahzad was dismissed in the third over for just eight runs, the 24-year-old getting one all wrong and hitting the ball straight up for Dushmantha Chameera to claim at mid-wicket.
Noor Ali Zadran lasted a while longer, knocking a respectable 20 off 23 balls, including three fours, before being bowled by a clever ball from Rangana Herath in the eighth over.
The match took a turn when his replacement, Karim Sadiq, was dismissed for a duck in the following over. As Sky Sports Cricket revealed, they hadn't racked up much of a score by the halfway point:
However, Stanikzai produced an excellent showing to get his team back on track in an excellent final 10 overs for Afghanistan, hitting 62 from just 47 balls including seven boundaries, four of which were sixes.
Commentator Harsha Bhogle sung his praises:
Mohammad Nabi, Shafiqullah Shafiq and Dawlat Zadran managed just 13 between them, but along with Stanikzai, Shenwari's 31 and a late three-ball 12 from Najibullah Zadran helped Afghanistan achieve a respectable total, per Bhogle and cricket writer Peter Miller:
Dilshan helped Sri Lanka get off to an electric start with Sky Sports Cricket noting his contribution:
Indeed, two sixes and two fours for the veteran provided the perfect platform for his side as they set about chasing Afghanistan's score.
Dinesh Chandimal added three more boundaries but was dismissed for 18 in the sixth over. Lahiru Thirimanne and Thisara Perera were only able to make that score between them, but Dilshan's performance kept the Lions edging toward their goal.
Chamara Kapugedera (10) and then Angelo Mathews (21) helped the 39-year-old in the final push.
ESPNcricinfo shared the details of his impressive knock:
Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara was also impressed with what he saw:
Afghanistan's respectable showing is hardly a surprise given their impressive performance in the preliminary group stage, but Sri Lanka were always going to prove tough opponents.
The Lions have launched their campaign with a solid showing, but it is their efforts against England, the West Indies and South Africa that will determine how far they go in the competition.
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