The Afghan squad's exhilarating chase was orchestrated through outstanding batting performances in a must-win match against Pakistan.
CHENNAI: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Oct 23rd, 2023) In a remarkable showdown at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Afghanistan scripted a historic victory over Pakistan, prevailing by eight wickets in the 22nd match of the ICC Men's cricket World Cup 2023. This momentous win marks Afghanistan's first-ever triumph over Pakistan in One Day Internationals (ODIs).
The Afghan squad's exhilarating chase was orchestrated through outstanding batting performances. Ibrahim Zadran led the charge with a commanding 87 runs, setting the stage for their victorious pursuit. Rahmat Shah exhibited unwavering resilience, remaining unbeaten at 77, while Rahmanullah Gurbaz's valuable contribution of 65 added to their impressive performance. Hashmatullah Shahidi played a pivotal role, contributing an unbeaten 48.
Opting to bat first, Pakistan managed to post a competitive total of 283 runs. Captain Babar Azam and opener Abdullah Shafique both delivered impressive half-centuries, establishing a solid platform for Pakistan's innings. However, the young leg-spinner from Afghanistan, Noor Ahmad, emerged as a game-changer, claiming two crucial wickets and impeding Pakistan's progress.
Pakistan faced a precarious situation during the middle of their innings when they were struggling at 163 for four. Crucial contributions of 40 runs each from Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan proved instrumental in rescuing Pakistan's innings, enabling them to accumulate a total of 282 runs for the loss of seven wickets.
Afghanistan's chase commenced on a strong note, with Ibrahim and Gurbaz forming a formidable partnership, amassing 130 runs. Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi eventually disrupted their partnership, providing the much-needed breakthrough. Later in the innings, Hasan Ali dismissed Ibrahim, who achieved the distinction of becoming the fastest player to reach 1000 runs for Afghanistan in ODIs.
The experienced duo of Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi guided Afghanistan to their target with ease, steering their team to a convincing victory. Pakistan's bowlers found it challenging to contain the determined Afghan batsmen.
With this remarkable result, Pakistan, boasting two wins and three losses, is slated to face South Africa at the same venue on October 27. Meanwhile, Afghanistan is scheduled to clash with Sri Lanka on October 30 in Lucknow, as they ride high on the wave of their historic win.
Playing XIs
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Usama Mir, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf
