Image source, AFP

Both openers out first ball. Both Sri Lanka openers this is, not Afghanistan. We might have to stay with this match. Although it could be over before India-South Africa begins in a little over an hour.

No great pace from Dawlat Zadran, with no great leap in delivery, but he is causing all manner of unease with his nagging line and length. Even the great Sangakkara is rattled, and he would have been out when pushing for a quick single had the bowler hit from just off the cut strip. Interesting start to say the least.

Warren Lees
Ex-New Zealand wicketkeeper on BBC Test Match Special

"Afghanistan have got to get out some of the big Sri Lanka names and if they do that we my see a real battle on our hands for Sri Lanka."

Image source, AFP

Well, what about that. They said what happens if Sri Lanka lose a couple of early wickets, well that's as early as you can get. First up, the ball brushed Thirimanne's back pad as he prods forward and umpire Illingworth sends him on his way. No review. It just about pitched on leg-stump and umpire's call was the verdict on the direction.

The attractive red roller, which could be a new children's cartoon character, has done its work and we are about to begin.

The Sri Lankan top four have scored 37,618 ODI runs between them so you would imagine they would be capable of getting the bulk of these 233 required for victory between them, although 233 was the figure the team was bowled out for in the opening match against New Zealand.

The Afghans have won 24 of their 46 ODIs to date, the majority of which have been against fellow minnows of course, but there have been two wins against Zimbabwe and one against Bangladesh.

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport at the World Cup

Image source, AFP

"More from Ian Bell - and his thoughts on what went wrong in their thrashing by New Zealand:

"'To go out and play like we did was embarrassing. To have to apologise for the way we played is not acceptable. It's really disappointing, but hopefully in the next four games we have in this group, we can put it right.

"'The talent within the group to put it right is there and there's still a lot of cricket to be played in this World Cup.

"'We have to go back to doing the simple things right. When we do that, we're a dangerous side. 'We certainly can't play like we have in the last two games'."

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport at the World Cup

Image source, AFP

"Ian Bell has been talking to the media ahead of Monday's World Cup match against Scotland in Christchurch. Here's what he said:

"'It's about how we react tomorrow. We have to go and put in a good performance. The result is the most important thing, but we'd like to get that with real clinical cricket, we haven't done that in these two games - we've been well off the pace.

"'It would be nice to put it all together the kind of game we know we can. Even though what's happened has been so bad, it's irrelevant to what happens tomorrow. We have to turn up and play our best cricket'."

-232 is Afghanistan's highest score against a top-eight nation (ie excluding Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and associate nations). Their previous best was 206 v Australia at Sharjah in 2012.

-Afghanistan's innings was the fifth time the top-eight batsmen in the order have all reached double figures in a World Cup innings.

So we have a 40-minute interval before we see the start of the Sri Lanka reply. At 03:15 GMT we will be crossing to the MCG for news of the toss between India and South Africa and then focusing on that one. We'll keep you posted on this match, however.

Afghanistan 232 from 49.4 overs (Sri Lanka won toss)

Not out batsman: Shapoor Zadran 0

Fall of wickets: 34-1 (Mangal 10), 40-2 (Ahmadi 24), 128-3 (Stanikzai 54), 157-4 (Shenwari 38) 169-5 (Nabi 21), 175-6 (Najibullah Zadran 10), 221-7 (Ashraf 28), 227-8 (Dawlat Zadran 4), 227-9 (Hassan 0), 232-10 (Zazai 19)

Bowling figures: Malinga 9.4-1-41-3, Lakmal 10-1-36-2, Mathews 7-0-41-3, Perera 10-0-54-1, Herath 10-0-41-1, J Mendis 3-0-13-0

Scorecard

Radio 5 live sports extra commentary

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"Sri Lanka will be happy with the last 15 overs or so because it could have been a lot worse. Maybe Afghanistan attacked too soon and I think the wicket of Nabi in the powerplay was critical. He looks a good player but went for a big shot and was bowled. Thereafter it was a struggle for them.

"It will be a major upset if Sri Lanka don't win but someone has to go out and make the runs."

All over and Malinga, after that 0-84 against the Kiwis and five wicketless overs in this one, finishes with 3-41, figures matched by his captain. Zazai was the last to go, falling in valiant fashion with a mighty swipe, it flew off the top edge and was safely pouched in the deep on the leg-side.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"The batsmen crossed and that's the last thing Afghanistan would have wanted, based on what we've seen in numbers nine and 10. One suspects the number 11 Shapoor Zadran is not a magician with the bat and even if he misses the ball, it might be worth taking the risk and running a bye."

Hassan is caught at deep mid-wicket first ball but no chance for the hat-trick for Mathews, that's the final ball of the penultimate over.

Image source, AFP

Hard to set fields for the old thick edge over the keeper's head. But it's of no great cost to the Sri Lankans as Mathews quickly holds one back to shatter the older Zadran's timbers when he goes for another agricultural heave.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"Ashraf was perfectly entitled to swing the bat at this stage but Afghanistan would like to get up to 240 if they could. It might not be a match-winning score but it always gives you a chance."

Useful from Ashraf, couple of sixes in that 32-ball knock, but he succumbs to a slower one from Malinga, caught at deep backward square-leg. I think I would be ok against the Malinga slower ball, I could just about react to it as if it were a normal delivery.

Well the debate about modern bats will gain a pace or two with this one. It was a leading edge as Ashraf attempted to turn Lakmal to leg but it sailed straight over the wicketkeeper's head for six.