In the do-or-die match, Afghanistan had a torrid start, first slipping to 79-6 and then to 114-7. Their innings looked done and dusted at that point without much fight, until veteran Mohammad Nabi turned things around. Hitting a fifty off just 20 balls – the joint-fastest for Afghanistan – Nabi’s 60 off 22, laced with three fours and six sixes (including five in a row against Dunith Wellalage), helped Afghanistan recover to post 169-8 on the board.
Despite giving up their advantageous position in the first innings, Sri Lanka ended up chasing down the total with ease, thanks to Kusal Mendis’ unbeaten 74 off 52 balls, studded with 10 fours. They won by six wickets with eight balls remaining.
With that defeat, Afghanistan faced a group-stage exit, having lost two out of their three matches. Instead, group rivals Sri Lanka and Bangladesh advanced to the next round, the Super Fours alongside India and Pakistan from Group A.
Latest ICC men's T20I team rankings after AFG vs SL in Asia Cup 2025
Sri Lanka are seventh with a rating of 233, just ahead of Pakistan in eighth. Meanwhile, Afghanistan are tenth with a rating of 221, just one rating point below ninth-placed Bangladesh. India still dominate the rankings with a rating of 271, having won 18 out of 22 matches since their T20 World Cup win last year. That is the most number of wins by any Full Member nation in this period.