In a thrilling encounter that showcased the fierce rivalry between two cricketing nations, Pakistan emerged victorious against Afghanistan in a nail-biting match characterized by exceptional bowling performances. Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Haris Rauf’s brilliant five-wicket haul, stifled Afghanistan’s batting lineup, ensuring a comfortable victory for the green shirts. Let’s delve into the key moments and standout performances that shaped this gripping contest.
Pakistan’s Innings
Pakistan’s batting effort got off to a shaky start with Fakhar Zaman departing early, caught by Mohammad Nabi off the bowling of Fazalhaq Farooqi. However, Imam-ul-Haq steadied the ship with a patient 61 runs off 94 balls, anchoring the innings with two boundaries. Unfortunately, Babar Azam’s early departure without scoring, due to a lbw dismissal by Mujeeb Ur Rahman, dented Pakistan’s momentum.
The middle order experienced its share of struggles, as Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Shadab Khan succumbed to Afghanistan’s spin duo of Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan. Nabi’s disciplined bowling fetched him two wickets, while Rashid Khan managed to dismiss both Agha Salman and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Nonetheless, Iftikhar Ahmed’s gritty 30 and Shadab Khan’s resilient 39-run knock helped Pakistan reach a competitive total of 201 runs. Usama Mir and Naseem Shah’s valuable contributions down the order bolstered the score, pushing it beyond the 200-run mark.
| BATTING | OUT | R | B | M | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fakhar Zaman | c Mohammad Nabi b Fazalhaq Farooqi | 2 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| Imam-ul-Haq | c Rashid Khan b Mohammad Nabi | 61 | 94 | 149 | 2 | 0 | 64.89 |
| Babar Azam (c) | lbw b Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mohammad Rizwan † | lbw b Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 21 | 22 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 95.45 |
| Agha Salman | lbw b Rashid Khan | 7 | 29 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 24.13 |
| Iftikhar Ahmed | c Hashmatullah Shahidi b Mohammad Nabi | 30 | 41 | 39 | 2 | 0 | 73.17 |
| Shadab Khan | run out (Mujeeb Ur Rahman) | 39 | 50 | 81 | 3 | 0 | 78 |
| Usama Mir | b Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 66.66 |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | b Rashid Khan | 2 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Naseem Shah | not out | 18 | 27 | 40 | 2 | 0 | 66.66 |
| Haris Rauf | lbw b Rahmat Shah | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| Extras | (w 18) | 18 | |||||
| TOTAL | 47.1 Ov (RR: 4.26) | 201 |
| BOWLING | O | M | R | W | ECON | 0s | 4s | 6s | WD | NB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 8 | 0 | 51 | 1 | 6 | 23 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 10 | 1 | 33 | 3 | 3 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 4.4 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 10 | 0 | 34 | 2 | 3 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rashid Khan | 10 | 0 | 42 | 2 | 4 | 35 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Abdul Rahman | 3.2 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Rahmat Shah | 1.1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Afghanistan’s Response
Afghanistan’s batting innings began on a disastrous note, with early wickets tumbling in quick succession. Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah were both dismissed without contributing to the scoreboard, thanks to a fiery spell by Shaheen Shah Afridi. Hashmatullah Shahidi, the captain, also fell for a duck, courtesy of Naseem Shah’s sharp bowling.
Haris Rauf’s spell turned out to be the game-changer as he rattled Afghanistan’s middle order. He claimed five wickets for just 18 runs, consistently troubling the batsmen with his pace and accuracy. Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s gritty 18 runs and Azmatullah Omarzai’s aggressive 16 before his retirement due to injury were the only noteworthy performances from Afghanistan’s batting lineup.
Afghanistan’s innings folded at a mere 59 runs, with Pakistan’s bowlers dominating throughout. The combination of skillful fast bowling from Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf’s fiery spell, and Naseem Shah’s controlled deliveries proved to be too much for Afghanistan to handle.
Afghanistan (T: 202 runs from 50 ovs)
| BATTING | OUT | R | B | M | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz † | c †Mohammad Rizwan b Haris Rauf | 18 | 47 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 38.29 |
| Ibrahim Zadran | c Agha Salman b Shaheen Shah Afridi | 0 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rahmat Shah | c Agha Salman b Shaheen Shah Afridi | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hashmatullah Shahidi (c) | c Shadab Khan b Naseem Shah | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ikram Alikhil | c †Mohammad Rizwan b Haris Rauf | 4 | 9 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 44.44 |
| Mohammad Nabi | c Agha Salman b Haris Rauf | 7 | 19 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 36.84 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | retired hurt | 16 | 12 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 133.33 |
| Rashid Khan | b Haris Rauf | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Abdul Rahman | c Fakhar Zaman b Shadab Khan | 2 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 15.38 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | c Naseem Shah b Haris Rauf | 4 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 133.33 |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | not out | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| (lb 2, w 6) | 8 | ||||||
| TOTAL | 19.2 Ov (RR: 3.05) | 59 |
| BOWLING | O | M | R | W | ECON | 0s | 4s | 6s | WD | NB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | 4 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 2.25 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Naseem Shah | 5 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 2.4 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Haris Rauf | 6.2 | 2 | 18 | 5 | 2.84 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Usama Mir | 3 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shadab Khan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Conclusion Pakistan vs Afghanitan
In a match dominated by the bowlers, Pakistan emerged as the clear victors, triumphing over Afghanistan by a significant margin. Haris Rauf’s five-wicket haul and the collective efforts of the bowling unit paved the way for Pakistan’s triumph. Despite Afghanistan’s early promise, their batting collapse under Pakistan’s pressure ultimately sealed their fate.
This encounter not only showcased the intensity of cricketing battles between neighboring nations but also highlighted the pivotal role bowlers play in shaping the outcome of matches. As both teams continue their journey in the cricketing world, this match will be remembered for the thrilling display of skills and the memorable bowling performances that stole the show.
