Sri Lanka defeated Afghanistan by 4 runs in the first T20I match despite getting bundled out for 160 runs at Dambulla with the help of a stunning four-wicket haul from Matheesha Pathirana (4/24). Initially, skipper Hasaranga smashed 67 runs off 32 balls and helped his side to post a formidable score as they were struggling at 55/4 at one stage after 7.2 overs.

Afghanistan in reply managed to score 156/9 in 20 overs with the help of their skipper's unbeaten 67-run knock, but apart from him, no other Afghan batter supported him at the other end. Afghanistan needed 11 runs to win from the last over, but Binura Fernando despite being very expensive in the match did the job brilliantly in the final over by conceding just 6 runs.

Numbers and Stats from SL vs AFG 1st T20I match:

2 - Wanindu Hasaranga recorded the second fifty in his T20I career.

Wanindu Hasaranga's highest scores in T20Is:

  • 71(47) vs Ireland in Abu Dhabi, 2021 T20 WC
  • 67(32) vs Afghanistan in Dambulla, 2024
  • 44(34) vs West Indies in Pallekele, 2020

3/25 - Fazalhaq Farooqi recorded a bowling figures of 3/25 in 4 overs.

Fazalhaq Farooqi's best bowling figures in T20Is:

  • 3/11 vs Sri Lanka in Dubai, 2022 Asia Cup
  • 3/18 vs Bangladesh in Mirpur, 2022
  • 3/25 vs Sri Lanka in Dambulla, 2024

4/20 - Matheesha Pathirana for the first time took a four-wicket haul (4/20) in his T20 career. He also completed the milestone of taking 50 wickets in T20 cricket.

4 - Sri Lanka won this match by a small margin of 4 runs.

The smallest margin of win for Sri Lanka in men's T20I (by runs):

  • 2 runs vs England in Southampton, 2006
  • 2 runs vs Australia in Melbourne, 2013
  • 2 runs vs Bangladesh in Chattogram, 2014
  • 4 runs vs Afghanistan in Dambulla, 2024
  • 5 runs vs South Africa in Chattogram, 2014 T20 World Cup

5 - Najibullah Zadran recorded the fifth duck in his T20I career.

Most ducks for Afghanistan in men's T20I (while batting at no.1-7 position):

  • Mohammad Nabi - 6
  • Gulbadin Naib - 5
  • Najibullah Zadran - 5

6 - The Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium at Dambulla became the sixth Sri Lankan venue to host a T20I match

67 - Ibrahim Zadran recorded the highest score (67*) in his T20I career.

Most fifty-plus scores for Afghanistan in men's T20I:

  • Mohammad Shahzad - 13
  • Najibullah Zadran - 8
  • Rahmanullah Gurbaz - 7
  • Mohammad Nabi - 5
  • Ibrahim Zadran - 5