Sri Lanka has restricted Afghanistan to 232 all out in their Cricket World Cup clash in Dunedin on Sunday.

Sri Lanka won the toss and put Afghanistan in to bat in overcast conditions following rain at the venue on Saturday.

The Afghan side started slowly, before starting to hit stride taking 11 runs off the fourth over.

The first wicket fell in the ninth over, when opener Nawroz Mangal clipped a medium-pace delivery from Angelo Mathews to mid-off to make it 1 for 34.

It quickly became 2 for 40 the following over when Javed Ahmadi top-edged a shot off Suranga Lakmal to midwicket to be out for 24.

An 88-run partnership between Ashgar Stanikzai and Samiullah Shenwari then steadied the ship for Afghanistan.

Stanikzai (54) and Shenwari (38) fell either side of the 30-over mark, then Lasith Malinga bowled Mohammad Nabi (21) and Lakmal took his second wicket dismissing Najibullah Zadran for 10 to leave the Afghans on 6 for 183 in the 39th over.

The Sri Lankans experienced death bowlers led by Malinga (3 for 41) made it hard for Afghanistan to make headway in the final 10 overs, but two sixes from Mirwais Ashraf (28 off 32 balls) helped move the scoreboard along.

Two wickets in two balls from Angelo Mathews (3 for 41) in the 49th over put a dent in Afghanistan's scoring, before Malinga had Afsar Zazai caught for 19 to bring the innings to a close two balls early.

The Sri Lankans will have to chase down 233 at a run rate of 4.66.
(ABC Online)