Nuwan Thushara of Sri Lanka celebrates the wicket of Rahmanullah Gurbaz of Afghanistan during the match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan at Zayed Cricket Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan on Thursday (September 18) to eliminate them from Asia Cup 2025. Here are the latest ICC men's T20I team rankings after the result.

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.

Match 11, Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan

Recent
Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan | Asia Cup, 2025 | Match 11
Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Thursday, September 18th, 2025 02:30pm (UTC:+0000)
SL Sri Lanka
SL Sri Lanka
171/4
(18.4) RR: 9.16

    vs

    AFG Afghanistan
    AFG Afghanistan
    169/8
    (20.0) RR: 8.45

      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.

      Rank Team Matches Points Rating
      1 India 59 15988 271
      2 Australia 37 9829 266
      3 England 43 11041 257
      4 New Zealand 46 11628 253
      5 South Africa 45 10950 243
      6 West Indies 51 12161 238
      7 Sri Lanka 40 9325 233
      8 Pakistan 61 14143 232
      9 Bangladesh 55 12223 222
      10 Afghanistan 38 8395 221
      11 Ireland 33 6630 201
      12 Zimbabwe 54 10790 200
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