Calcutta: Opener Tillekaratne Dilshan, who struck an unbeaten 83 off 56 balls to steer defending champions Sri Lanka to a six-wicket win over Afghanistan on Thursday, said scoring runs was not an easy task at the Eden.

"It was not an easy task because batting was not easy, especially against the spinners here. We had to be cautious. That's the reason I made it a point to stay around and see the team through. I was happy the target could be achieved," said the seasoned cricketer, who was adjudged the Man of the Match.

His efforts helped the islanders surpass Afghanistan's 153 for seven with seven balls to spare. "In my last two games, I scored two ducks. I needed runs going into the big matches. I am really happy that I finished the game," Dilshan, 39, said. "In these kinds of tournaments, the first match is very important. Senior guys need to stand up and perform so that the middle order can bat around us."

Afghanistan, the only non-Test-playing team in the Super 10 fray, paid the price for some sloppy fielding after an impressive effort with the bat, that saw skipper Asghar Stanikzai make a fine 47-ball 62.

Dilshan gave Sri Lanka a flying start, smacking fast bowler Dawlat Zadran for two sixes on the trot, including one that came off his famous "Dilscoop" shot, which typically sailed over the wicketkeeper's head.

The Sri Lankan batsman was going through a bad patch for sometime, but said he was not giving any thought to retirement. "It is never in my mind. I think I am playing well and can continue. But you never know... One fine morning, I might wake up and think otherwise. But at the moment, I have no plan of calling it a day," he said.

Asked why Thisara Perera was promoted ahead of skipper Angelo Mathews in the batting order, Dilshan said it was necessary to step up the scoring.