Jarleth Eaton:, external Afghanistan could beat England in this World Cup. Their batting line up is much better than England's right now.

Image source, Getty Images

Now that will help. Ashraf top-edges a six over fine-leg, the 91st maximum of the tournament. Some frenetic drums around the ground liven things up too.

Three singles are all that are scored again in this one from Lakmal. How many will they need to make Sri Lanka uncomfortable?

Perera restricts the scoring to three singles. The Afghans have only passed 300 once, against UAE last year, and we can safely say they are not going to do it here.

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

"Both batsmen are thinking of survival at the moment. They aren't really confident about taking the bowler on when the need to find the boundary is fast approaching."

Rather incongruously it's the throbbing strains of Bruce Springsteen's Dancing In The Dark blaring away at the end of this over. Two leg byes off Mathews but it's now 56 balls since the last boundary. From 128-2 it has not really kicked on for the minnows. But they are not expected to win this are they? It's not England.

Doesn't look like we are going to see an explosive end to the innings. We've had eight overs since the last boundary, which was that six from Zadran. Understandably the Afghans are wary of being skittled out before their overs are completed.

Herath returns and only concedes a single from his final over. Ashraf is the new man. He averages only 14 in his 30 matches but has made an unbeaten 52 against UAE. How many can the minnows add?

Andrew Dennett:, external Batman and Superman is the correct partnership if discussing The Justice League, or at least part of it! Otherwise no it's not!

Afghanistan 179-6 from 40 overs (Sri Lanka won toss)

Run rate: 4.47 per over

Batsmen: Zazai 4, Ashraf 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 (Zadran 10)

Bowling figures: Malinga 8-1-30-1, Lakmal 8-1-23-1, Mathews 5-0-32-1, Perera 7-0-37-1, Herath 9-0-40-1, J Mendis 3-0-13-0

Scorecard

Radio 5 live sports extra commentary

Malinga looking much more in the groove now, just the one wide in the over. So 10-2 in that powerplay. Malinga still kisses the ball before every delivery. That can't be hygienic.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"Afghanistan did a lot of hard work at the start of the innings and until the 35th over it was going well but it now looks a little bleak. The powerplay is causing havoc, partly because Malinga has been brought back and he's dangerous when players try to attack him."

The curse of the batting powerplay. Only six runs so far and two wickets. Zadran clearly likes a big hit but he doesn't get hold of this one and is comfortably taken in the leg-side.

Afghan wicketkeeper Zazai is also 21. He's playing his 10th ODI and began his career with successive fifties, against UAE. Just the two singles in the over off Malinga. There's a Batman and Superman walking together around the ground, that's not the correct partnership is it? Oh, I'm told there's a movie coming out featuring both. A lot of films are made in New Zealand so this could be one of the scenes.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"It is an interesting conundrum if you're an associate side, there are two different goals. Do you go for respectability and take 230 which probably won't win you the game, or do you go for broke in the knowledge you might be all out for 200?"

Lakmal, with a Colonel Sanders-style goatee, albeit much darker, appeals for lbw against Zadran but umpire Gaffaney says it is sliding down the leg-side, and there is another appeal for a run-out but square-leg official Illingworth decides there is no need to refer to the tv official for that one. Just the one leg-bye in the over.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, AFP

"That's a big blow to Afghanistan. Nabi had played very impressively and Sri Lanka will be very relieved to see him depart."

Image source, AFP

The tinted, tousle-haired Malinga claims his first wicket of the World Cup. It was full, Nabi went for the big shot, made no contact, and the bails are a-flashing. Another good knock, only 27 balls for that 21.

Zadran is only 21, and this is just his 12th ODI. He hit seven fours and six sixes in his 83 from 50 balls against Ireland in Dubai in January so clearly knows how to wield the willow. Some chanting from the Afghan followers, along the lines of "where we come from" but mercifully not as long. A smattering of singles off Perera and we're all set for the batting powerplay. What are we going to see in these next five overs?

Dilshan is smarting after copping a full blooded drive on the hand at short extra cover. The new man is left-hander Zadran, who gets off the mark in fine style with a drive on one knee off Herath reminiscent of Yuvraj Singh. It soars many a mile but is not caught by one of the orange t-shirts this time. The third six of the innings.