Sri Lanka Celebrate 3-0 Sweep Against Afghanistan

Sri Lanka Celebrate 3-0 Sweep Against Afghanistan (Image Source: Google)

Sri Lanka completed a sweep of the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, confidently beating the tourists in the final game by seven wickets Wednesday at Pallekele.

Set a target of 267, Sri Lanka won with 88 balls remaining, as their domination of the opponents continued.

Opening batsman Pathum Nissanka smashed his fifth one-day international hundred and the second in the series for the hosts.

Nissanka finished the series with 346 runs, the most by a Sri Lankan in a three-match series.

Roshan Mahanama had posted 267 runs in three ODIs against Zimbabwe in 1994, but Nissanka's effort is now the highest by a distance.

It is also the fourth highest tally in a three-match series in the world.

Nissanka had posted an unbeaten 210 in the first game, becoming the first Sri Lankan to score a double hundred in ODI cricket.

He also became the fastest Sri Lankan to the 2,000 ODI runs milestone in just 52 innings -- breaking the record of Upul Tharanga, who had required 63 innings for the feat.

Nissanka, who said he had had "no idea" he would take the record, said he was "really thankful" to his first coach -- his father.

Sri Lanka cruised to the target with the openers adding 173 runs for the first wicket in just 138 deliveries.

Avishka Fernando set the run chase up, reaching his half-century in just 24 balls, with consecutive sixes off Fareed Ahmad.

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