It was tough to know exactly when the indicators turned ominous for Pakistan. Was it when two overthrows allowed Afghanistan to show a single into three runs early within the chase? Or was it when Shaheen Afridi strayed on the pads first ball and was clipped away for 4? Or when, after the introduction of Haris Rauf, Rahmanullah Gurbaz performed two back-to-back cuts for 4, adopted by an much more attractive sq. drive?
At any time when it was, there have been early indicators for many who had seen the Afghanistan opening pair off late {that a} particular one was on the playing cards.
Spurred on by an electrical 21,500-strong crowd on the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in an ICC ODI World Cup match in Chennai on Monday, Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran introduced the roof down, reaching their respective fifties off 38 and 54 balls, setting Afghanistan heading in the right direction to its highest profitable run chase, of 283, in ODI cricket and a primary win — by eight wickets — over Pakistan within the format.
It was the second time this pair had placed on a century stand this match; they had been helped by the truth that the ball simply didn’t grip and switch as a lot below the lights as Shadab Khan and Usama Mir would’ve appreciated.
Gurbaz and Zadran had added chanceless 130 runs for the primary wicket when Afridi, returning for his second spell, had Gurbaz caught for a 53-ball 65.
AS IT HAPPENED: PAKISTAN VS AFGHANISTAN HIGHLIGHTS
The boundaries dried up instantly after Gurbaz’s departure, however Zadran – scuffling with cramps and humidity – and Rahmat Shah stored rotating the strike, making certain that the asking price didn’t balloon up.
The 2 added 60 for the second wicket earlier than Zadran was caught behind off Hasan Ali for 87.
A lull within the proceedings adopted, with Pakistan bowlers stringing collectively a couple of quiet overs, aided by the shortage of dew. Nonetheless, No. 3 Rahmat’s 58-ball fifty not solely calmed frayed nerves but in addition doused any hopes of a Pakistani revival. Rahmat and Hashmatullah Shahidi noticed their crew previous the end line with an unbeaten 96-run stand, cool manner and glorious working between the wickets.
Within the afternoon, Babar Azam received the toss and selected to bat. There was no higher time for Babar to remind everybody of his class.
Within the blazing sunshine, Pakistan’s greatest batsman marched out to bat amid a rousing reception. With little journey and loads of warning, he received to his 50 in 69 balls. Shahidi rotated his spinners to maintain Babar guessing and drive a mistake.
Babar didn’t take dangers towards Rashid Khan, nudging him for singles down the bottom and using the reduce utilizing the bounce when his line strayed outdoors off stump.
However on what appeared like a tricky wicket to bat on, Babar’s urge to place his foot on the accelerator turned evident because the innings hurtled in direction of the ultimate 10. In any case, Pakistan was 56-0 within the first 10 however may handle solely 44 for 1 and 39 for two within the subsequent 10-over phases, thanks in no small measure to off-spinner Mohammad Nabi.
He constantly landed the ball in the appropriate space, not permitting Pakistan to attain freely, ending with figures of 1 for 31. Extra importantly, his holding job allowed left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad to be the attacking bowler. Ahmad, who changed Fazalhaq Farooqi within the XI, was making his World Cup debut, and took three for 49, together with the wicket of Babar.
Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad celebrates after taking the wicket of Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam towards Pakistan at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk in Chennai.
| Photograph Credit score:
B. Jothi Ramalingam / The Hindu
Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad celebrates after taking the wicket of Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam towards Pakistan at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk in Chennai.
| Photograph Credit score:
B. Jothi Ramalingam / The Hindu
The Pakistan captain has struggled to maintain his pull pictures down towards the spinners, getting caught at midwicket towards the Netherlands and Australia.
Right here, batting 74 off 92, Noor bowled a brief ball outdoors off, which Babar may solely hit straight to the quilt fielder, responsible of prioritising brute energy over placement.
Earlier, Noor had trapped Abdullah Shafique lbw for 58 earlier than having Mohammad Rizwan caught sweeping for eight—each well-planned dismissals. Effectively conscious of Rizwan’s proclivity for the sweep—he opened his account by placing away a sweep shot—and realising his itch to dominate the face-off, Noor bowled one large of off-stump. Rizwan needed to attain out to comb and ended up miscuing it to the fielder at brief advantageous.
In the meantime, Shafique was given out upon overview after lacking the sweep and being struck in entrance by a fullish flawed’un on the leg stump.
However simply when Pakistan’s batting was threatening to unravel, Shadab and Iftikhar Ahmed shared a counterattacking 73-run sixth-wicket stand, off simply 45 balls.
READ SCORES: PAKISTAN VS AFGHANISTAN SCORECARD
Shadab was promoted forward of Iftikhar, which gave the latter the liberty to assault from the get-go. Iftikhar smacked 40 off 27 balls, Shadab 40 off 38, and regardless that three runs and two wickets got here off the final over, the final 5 mixed value a rudderless Afghanistan tempo assault 61 runs.
However that wouldn’t matter ultimately.
Final yr, Naseem Shah led Pakistan to a exceptional victory towards Afghanistan in Sharjah within the T20 Asia Cup. It was a tumultuous sport, stuffed with bedlam, and determined off a last-ball six. Afghanistan, which had appeared in management for a lot of that sport, was left shattered by a crew that refused to yield.
On Monday night time, the Afghans served up a chilly slice of revenge with elan.