Afghanistan Beats Sri Lanka in World Cup, Raising Chances for Playoff Spot

Afghanistan ascends to fifth place in the point table after securing third victory in six matches with top five batters producing half-centuries during a clinical chase of below-par total set by Sri Lanka.

In the World Cup match against Sri Lanka, Afghanistan claimed victory by seven wickets; this is their third win in six matches, boosting their chances of securing a playoff spot as they ascend to fifth place in the points table.
Afghanistan's Hashmatullah Shahidi led his team to victory, with three of their top five batters, including Shahidi, producing half-centuries, accomplishing a clinical chase of Sri Lanka's below-par total of 241 in 45.2 overs.
Azmatullah Omarzai scored the winning run for Afghanistan, marking a significant improvement for the team that only managed one win in the 2015 World Cup and none in 2019, indicating a potential spot in the final four this year.
Afghanistan's consistent performance in the tournament, having already defeated the 1996 champions, Sri Lanka, and the holders England, and the 1992 champions, Pakistan, has been instrumental in keeping their playoff chances alive.
Despite initial partnerships and a quick 45 runs claimed for the eighth wicket by Angelo Mathews and Maheesh Theekshana, Sri Lanka fell short of the 250-mark, resulting in their fourth loss in six matches.