Tillakaratne Dilshan led Sri Lanka to a six-wicket win over Afghanistan in their first game of the World Twenty20 Super 10 stage.

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Asghar Stanikzai made a career-best 62 and Samiullah Shenwari smashed 31 from 14 balls as Afghanistan, who qualified ahead of Zimbabwe from Group B, made 153 for seven.

But Dilshan batted through for an unbeaten 83, from 56 balls with eight fours and three sixes, to stave off any threat of an upset.

Afghanistan were 51 for four at the end of the 11th over after Rangana Herath (two for 24) removed Noor Ali Zadran (20) and Mohammad Nabi.

But Shenwari joined Stanikzai in a quickfire partnership of 61, the former hitting two sixes and three fours - including a reverse slap which saw him overbalance completely at the crease.

He eventually holed out to long-off, giving Nuwan Kulasekara his only wicket of an expensive four overs (1-43), but Stanikzai advanced to a 42-ball half-century.

He continued to swing hard, on more than one occasion lifting himself off his feet, as he advanced to 62 from 47 before a misjudged ramp shot off Thisara Perera (three for 33) offered keeper Dinesh Chandimal a simple catch.

Najibullah Zadran blasted 12 off the last three balls of the innings but the total never looked anything more than par - as Dilshan quickly proved.

He put on 41 for the first wicket with Chandimal and 27 for the third with Perera and showcased his full range of shots, including a signature "Dilscoop" for six off paceman Dawlat Zadran.

The run-outs of Perera and Chamara Kapugedera - the latter backing up as Nabi deliberately and brilliantly diverted Dilshan's drive onto the stumps - sapped some momentum from the innings and put the result back in the balance.

But captain Angelo Mathews hit 21 not out off just 10 balls as he and Dilshan finished the job with more than an over to spare.