Kusal Mendis ensured Sri Lanka’s 100% record through the group stage as his unbeaten 74 off 52 trumped Mohammad Nabi’s outrageous 60 off 22 for a six-wicket win against Afghanistan. The result means Bangladesh also qualify with a second place in group B.

Kusal was crucial to the chase with his ability to navigate Afghanistan’s variety of spinners – courtesy of well-executed sweeps and pulls – proving crucial in Sri Lanka running down a tricky target with eight deliveries to spare.

Kusal was therefore the common denominator in a string of partnerships – 22, 25, 45, 27 and 52* – as Sri Lanka put aside a potentially momentum-shifting cameo from Nabi.

Nabi had earlier resurrected the Afghanistan innings, striking five sixes in the final over bowled by left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage,  who had been drafted in to this game ahead of Maheesh Theekshana. Prior to that, Dushmantha Chameera had been taken for 17 runs in the penultimate over of the innings, meaning Afghanistan struck 49 in the last two overs to give their total a monster boost.

Up until that point, though, Sri Lanka had dominated proceedings, with Nuwan Thushara, in particular, shining with figures of 4 for 18. It was a performance worthy of a win, and so it proved in the end.

Losing Pathum Nissanka early was not ideal, nor was Kamil Mishara falling in the powerplay. But Kusal ensured that he took on the scoring burden and kept Sri Lanka in the chase with timely boundaries through the middle overs.

However, nerves still remained with Sri Lanka needing 48 off the last five overs. It was here that Kusal was joined by the other Mendis in the side – Kamindu – who once more showed off his capabilities as a finisher.

Kamindu struck two pivotal sixes – one each off Noor Ahmad and Fazalhaq Farooqi – to take the pressure off his senior compatriot and finished unbeaten on 26 off 13. It meant Kusal rarely had to shift gears, even at the death, as Sri Lanka ran down the target with ease.

Starting left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Wellalage over Theekshana was a call presumably predicated on the idea that Afghanistan had ten right-handers in their batting line-up, while also a move that simultaneously lengthened the batting and improved the fielding.

As things transpired, though, Wellalage was not needed with the bat, while he dropped Nabi on 5. But more pertinently, so effective were Sri Lanka’s strike bowlers – particularly Thushara – that Charith Asalanka decided that it was worth the gamble to bowl his main bowlers out early in the hopes of picking up wickets sooner rather than later.

And the plan worked – to an extent. Thushara bowled three overs in the powerplay, picked up three wickets in that period, before getting a fourth at the death. Chameera bowled well, but was unlucky to go for 50 runs in his four overs – the most expensive spell of his career. Dasun Shanaka, nominally the fifth bowler, got away with 29 runs in his four overs, while Hasaranga gave away just 18 in four wicketless overs.

Even Wellalage had given away just 17 up until his last over. For Nabi, a fantastic hitter of spin, this was an ideal match-up and he took on Wellalage in epic fashion. Five sixes in the V saw 32 come off that final over – and with it gave Afghanistan hope.