Afghanistan 286 for two (Ibrahim 87, Rahmat 77*, Gurbaz 65, Shahidi 48*, Hasan 1-41) beat Pakistan 282 for 7 (Babar 74, Shafique 58, Noor 3-49, Naveen 2-52) by eight wickets
Ought to it depend as an upset? Possibly not after what Afghanistan did to England, not after the scientific method by which they chased down the goal on Monday to maneuver to sixth place on the desk.
Afghanistan’s chase began on an ideal word with Gurbaz choosing Shaheen Shah Afridi to the fine-leg boundary and Ibrahim driving Afridi by means of the covers three balls later. Whereas Ibrahim took Hasan Ali to the cleaners, Gurbaz focused Haris Rauf, smashing him for 4 fours in his opening over as Afghanistan raced to 60 after 9.
Whereas the boundary-scoring was impeccable, their operating between the wickets was even higher. They had been additionally helped by Pakistan’s sloppy fielding – they had been far and wide.
It took Afghanistan simply 15.3 overs to breach the 100-run mark. By that point, each Ibrahim and Gurbaz had introduced up their fifties. Pakistan’s first wicket solely got here within the twenty second over, when Afridi induced a prime edge off Gurbaz’s blade that was snapped up by deep third.
No panic stations, although. Rahmat got here in, and instantly started working in his regular industrious model. Every time there have been a string of dot balls, Ibrahim or Rahmat broke the shackles with a boundary. They added 60 off 74 for the second wicket earlier than Ibrahim, battling cramps, edged Hasan behind for 87.
Any ideas of a collapse, and even a few fast wickets, had been rapidly shut down by Shahidi and Rahmat. They added 96 unbeaten runs for the third wicket, not as soon as giving Pakistan a sniff. The calmness with which they went about their work was most likely probably the most putting characteristic of the chase.
And Pakistan regarded toothless for a lot of the chase, the bowlers hardly getting something out of the floor.
Whereas Rahmat with 5 fours and a six remained unbeaten on 77, Shahidi scored a 45-ball 48*. It was the captain who hit the successful runs, a pull/flick off Afridi to spark emotional scenes within the dugout.
The primary innings was certainly one of three chunks: Pakistan dominated the primary 15 overs; Afghanistan spinners had a stranglehold on the proceedings for the subsequent 25; Pakistan pumped 91 runs within the final ten. And that appeared to have given them the momentum heading into the break.
Pakistan moved to 56 for no loss within the first ten overs, the most effective powerplay they’ve had in ten innings on the World Cup. There was one other first – and second – that befell in these ten overs: Abdullah Shafique hit two sixes. The primary was Pakistan’s first after 1169 balls in powerplays this yr.
Pakistan had really raced to their 50 in 7.4 overs with Naveen-ul-Haq and Mujeeb Ur Rahman each leaking runs. At this stage, Shahidi turned to Mohammad Nabi and the veteran, by means of his efficient variations of tempo and size, put a maintain on the run-scoring. Azmatullah Omarzai benefited from this on the different finish when Imam-ul-Haq miscued a pull to quick midwicket.
Babar and Shafique took the innings ahead with Shafique quickly reaching his second successive fifty, off 60 balls. Nonetheless, as soon as the ball acquired a bit older, and the floor a tad drained, it began taking part in just a few extra methods. Between the sixteenth and the thirty first overs, Pakistan may solely handle two fours and a six and scored 61 runs whereas dropping two key wickets. Noor struck each the telling blows.
He first took out Shafique lbw with a mistaken’un after which eliminated Mohammad Rizwan. Babar took 69 balls to succeed in his fifty earlier than falling to Noor for 74.
At 206 for five on the finish of 42 overs, Pakistan gave the impression to be falling in need of a par rating. However Iftikhar and Shadab modified the script. The 2 added 73 off simply 45 balls, taking aside what was a poor present on the demise by the Afghanistan bowlers.
Ultimately, although, the batters got here by means of.
Ashish Pant is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo
