Sri Lanka Celebrate 3-0 Sweep Against Afghanistan

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.

But he threw away his wicket just nine runs short of a century, and his 91 came off 66 balls with 10 fours and five monstrous sixes.

- 'Really good cricket' -

Nissanka was relatively slow off the blocks, reaching his half-century in 55 balls, but the next 50 came in just 34 balls as Afghanistan's bowlers ran out of ideas.

Captain Kusal Mendis joined the party, racing to 40 from 29 balls with four sixes.

Nissanka was dismissed for 118 with just 14 runs needed for the win. He faced 101 balls and hit 16 fours and two sixes.

The tourists badly missed their two experienced spinners Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who are out injured.

"The result didn't go our way," said skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi. "Sri Lanka played really good cricket in all three departments, so credit goes to them."

After electing to bat first, Afghanistan's effort was far from convincing, especially the collapse at the tail end of their innings.

At 223 for four heading into the last 10 overs, a total in excess of 300 was on the cards.

But they lost the last six wickets for just 43 runs, and were bowled out inside 50 overs.

Rahmat Shah (65) and Azmatullah Omarzai (54) posted half-centuries, giving Afghanistan a solid platform, but the middle order caved in without a fight.

Sri Lanka's Pramod Madushan was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with three wickets, while Asitha Fernando, Dunith Wellalage and Akila Dananjaya finished with two wickets each.

Off-spinner Dananjaya was making a comeback to the side after being forced to remodel his action in 2021 having been reported for a suspect action.

Sri Lanka secured a comfortable 42-run win over Afghanistan in the first ODI, and a convincing 155-run win in the second.

The teams now face a three-match T20 series, opening in Dambulla on February 17.