KOLKATA: Afghanistan skipper Asghar Stanikzai hit a career-best 62 to help the qualifiers post 153 for seven in their first Super 10 stage match of the World Twenty20 against champions Sri Lanka on Thursday.
Stanikzai won the toss and opted to bat first on a slow wicket at Eden Gardens but his team struggled to get going before accelerating towards the end of their innings.
The Afghan captain hit four sixes and three fours in his 47-ball knock before falling in the penultimate over. Samiullah Shenwari (31) chipped in with a 14-ball cameo while Thisara Perera (3-33) was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers.
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