Asia Cup 2023: Points Table, Most Runs, Most Wickets After 6th Match, AFG vs SL

Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan by 2 runs and qualified for super four stage of Asia Cup 2023.

In a game of margins, Afghanistan missed out on Asia Cup Super 4 qualification by a whisker. Sri Lanka defeated Afghanistan by just 2 runs in a cliffhanger chase at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Afghanistan needed to chase down 292 runs in 37.1 overs, they came close but missed by just a few margins. Sri Lanka posted 291 runs in their 50-overs. Maheesh Theekshana (28) and Dunith Wellalage (33) took Sri Lanka over 290 runs as they added 64 runs after Sri Lanka were under pressure at 227 and lost 7 wickets.

Kusal Mendis was the top scorer with 92 runs. Afghanistan's middle-order challenged the Sri Lankan bowling attack nicely, as Mohammad Nabi's 65-run innings in 32 balls brought them back after losing their initial wickets. Later on, Najibullah Zadran (23) and Rashid Khan (27) tried their best but failed to get the required runs.

Asia Cup 2023 Points Table:

Sri Lanka have qualified for the super four round after getting a close win against Afghanistan at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Along with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh also qualified for the next round. Sri Lanka finished group B with 4 points in 2 games, and Bangladesh got 2 points in 2 games. Afghanistan will end their campaign without a win in Asia Cup in 2023. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will join India and Pakistan in the super four round. Sri Lanka finished as the group B topper with 4 points and a 0.594 net run rate. Bangladesh ended up in second place in group B with 2 points and a 0.373 net run rate.

Asia Cup 2023 Most Runs:

The leading run-scorers' list doesn’t see many changes, as Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi was the only entry in the top 5. Bangladesh middle-order Najmul Hossain Shanto is the leading run-scorer in Asia Cup 2023 with 193 runs in 2 games in the tournament. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam is second with 151 runs. Bangladesh spin all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz is third on the list with 117 runs in 2 innings. Mehidy Hasan and Najmul Hossain scored centuries against Afghanistan. Iftikhar Ahmed is 4th on this list with 109 runs. Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi is a new entry in the leading run-scorer list, as he has 109 runs in 2 innings.

Top 5 leading run-scorers in Asia Cup 2023

1. Najmul Hossain Shanto (Bangladesh) - 193 Runs 

2. Babar Azam (Pakistan) - 151 Runs 

3. Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Bangladesh) - 117 Runs 

4. Iftikhar Ahmed (Pakistan) - 109 Runs 

5. Hashmatullah Shahidi (Afghanistan) - 109 Runs 

Asia Cup 2023 Most Wickets:

Pakistan’s left-arm sensation Shaheen Afridi is the leading wicket-taker in Asia Cup with six wickets in two games. Shaheen picked up four wickets against India and two against Nepal in Asia Cup opener. Haris Rauf is second on the list with five wickets in two games. Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed is third in the list with five wickets as well. Taskin had a brilliant game against Afghanistan. Matheesha Pathirana has also increased his tally with one wicket, and he is 4th in the table with 5 wickets. Afghanistan all-rounder Gulbadin Naib has taken the 5th spot as he bowled a 4-wickets spell against Sri Lanka in the final league encounter in Asia Cup 2023.

Top 5 leading wicket-takers in Asia Cup 2023 

1. Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan) - 6 Wickets 

2. Haris Rauf (Pakistan) - 5 Wickets 

3. Taskin Ahmed (Bangladesh) - 5 Wickets 

4. Matheesha Pathirana (Sri Lanka) - 5 Wickets 

5. Gulbadin Naib (Afghanistan) - 5 Wickets