Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, 3rd T20I at Dambulla, SL v AFG, Feb 21 2024 - Match Result

11:05pm Sri Lanka are all smiles as they pose with the winner's trophy. That also brings us to the end of our coverage for this game and the series. Hope you enjoyed it just as much as we loved bringing it to you. Until next time, this is goodbye from me (Shashwat), Ranjith and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo. Take care, folks!

Wanindu Hasaranga, the Sri Lanka captain is also the Player of the Series: We played good cricket in the first two games. Credit goes to our bowlers and the batters. (On the players who came in today) We just wanted to see how they perform and that is why we made four changes.

Ibrahim Zadran, Afghanistan captain: I am happy with the win. Unfortunately, we lost the series. Feeling great after the game today. (On the score) It was a good total we put up on the board. Hazrat and Gurbaz gave us good momentum and we wanted to carry it through. (On the changes they made) We wanted to give chances to the players who did not play. We are going to the T20 World Cup and we wanted to try out players. If you look at the first game, we played well but could not win, and we won today. We have lots of positives to take (from this series) and take it into the T20 World Cup.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Player of the Match: (How pleasing was his innings today) To be honest, it was (quite pleasing). It was a really hard time for me, I had not scored (before in the series). I was under pressure but I tried to go in today and play my natural game. I took responsibility and I think that was the reason. (On what he prefers - chasing or batting first) I don't mind. Whenever I have a good day, I can chase and set a total. I hope we learn from the mistakes we did here and I hope we don't repeat it moving forward.

It's time for the presentation ceremony.

10:40pm Phew, what a game of cricket that was. And, rather ironically, it might be remembered for the number of wides Sri Lanka bowled, and the one No ball that Afghanistan got away with in the final over.

Coming back to the run-chase, Sri Lanka began like a house on fire, with Nissanka setting the tone. Mendis and Perera fell around him but he kept at it. In fact, it was not until he tweaked his hamstring that Sri Lanka began losing grip of the chase. A middle-order wobble was arrested by Samarawickrama and Mendis, although the former departed just when Sri Lanka needed him to up the ante further.

Mendis, to his credit, kept Sri Lanka afloat, receving fleeting moments of support from Shanaka and Dananjaya (given he finished with four off one ball). It all came down to the last over, and Mendis just could not find the fence enough number of times to take Sri Lanka past the finish line.

As for Afghanistan, Nabi was the pick of their bowlers again. He gave away 35 runs and accounted for Hasaranga and Mathews. Noor was not bad either, and Qais, coming in as a concussion sub, played his part, getting rid of Samarawickrama. Afghanistan did drop a couple of chances but on this particular occasion, it did not come back to haunt them.

One legal delivery, and Afghanistan will be home

10 off 2. Afghanistan, remember, got 10 off the last two balls of their innings

11 off 3. Another boundary here, and Afghanistan will really feel the pinch. Short fine leg moves finer

15 off 5

What a game this has been already. Just six balls remain. SL need 19. Anything lesser than 18 scored this over, and Afghanistan will win. Momand to bowl the final over. Only four fielders outside the ring because Afghanistan are behind the over-rate

Dananjaya is the new man in

Mid off, extra cover, backward point and short third man in the ring

36 needed off 12. Advantage Afghanistan but crazier things have happened in this sport. Omarzai to bowl the penultimate over. Shanaka on strike

40 needed off 13. SL need a boundary, right about now

Janat to bowl the 18th. His first over tonight. Wow.