Dubai, Aug 27: Afghanistan thrashed Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the Asia Cup opener here on Saturday.

Afghanistan chased down 106 in 10.1 overs with Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-scoring with a 40-run innings, while Hazratullah Zazai remained unbeaten on 37.

Earlier, Sri Lanka were bundled out for a paltry 105 in 19.4 overs.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa top-scored with a 29-ball 38, while Chamika Karunaratne made 31.

Fazalhaq Farooqi (3/11), Mohammad Nabi (2/14) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2/24) shared seven wickets among them for Afghanistan.

Brief Scores:

Sri Lanka: 105 all out in 19.4 overs (Bhanuka Rajapaksa 38; Fazalhaq Farooqi 3/11).

Afghanistan: 106/2 in 10.1 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 40, Hazratullah Zazai 37 not out; Wanindu Hasaranga 1/19).

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Balrampur/Chhattisgarh (PTI): Enthusiastic voters reached polling booths trekking steep hilly paths, crossing a river and even on a horse to cast their votes in remote areas of the tribal-dominated Balrampur district in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, officials said.

Balrampur district falls under the Surguja Lok Sabha constituency which was among seven seats where polling was held in third and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state. The Surguja Lok Sabha recorded 74.59 per cent voting, as per the Turnout application.

Voters, belonging to Pahadi Korva, a particularly vulnerable tribal group, including Rajesh, Madan, Sukhu, Gopal and Nandlal, crossed a river to exercise their franchise at a polling booth in village panchayat Amera under the Samri assembly constituency, a government official said.

Similarly, electors, including Lakhan Nagesia, Sahu, Phulsai and Kalesh of Bachwar village under the Ramanujganj assembly constituency walked through hilly terrain for about two hours covering 8 kms to reach a polling booth and cast their vote, he said. A voter, Parimal Dey, reached a polling booth in Sagarpur village under the Ramanujganj assembly seat on a horse, the official said. Dey is a cattle rearer who owns 150 goats.

Two hyper sensitive polling booths -- Chunchuna and Pundag -- located in a Naxal-affected area of the district which shares border with Jharkhand, also recorded significant turnout, he said. The two booths are located in the Samri assembly constituency.

"Special security arrangements were put in place in this area to ensure peaceful voting. Voters of Chunchuna and Pudang ensured their participation in the great festival of democracy braving Naxalite threat," he said. The Chunchuna polling booth has 767 voters and it recorded 84.35 per cent turnout, while Pundag has 595 electors and it registered a turnout of 72.44 per cent till 5 pm, the official added.