PAKISTAN vs AFGHANISTAN (2nd INNINGS)

Set to chase 283, Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran provided a solid start to the team as the pair put together a century-plus stand as both scored half-centuries.

The duo dominated Pakistan bowlers before Usama Mir got the much-needed breakthrough for his side by dismissing Gurbaz in the 22nd over.

Gurbaz scored 65 off 53 deliveries with the help of nine boundaries and a six.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim stood his ground firm and was involved in another anchoring partnership when he added 60 runs for the second wicket with Rahmat Shah before Hasan Ali got rid of him in the 34th over.

He top-scored for Afghanistan with 87 in 113 balls, hitting 10 boundaries.

Shah was then joined by his skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi and the duo knitted a sensible 96-run partnership to steer Afghanistan to a historic victory with an over to spare.

Rahmat Shah scored an unbeaten 77 off 84 deliveries, laced up with five boundaries and two sixes while Shahidi scored 48 not out in 45 balls with the help of four boundaries.

For Pakistan, only Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali could pick up a wicket each while the rest of their bowlers went wicketless.

FALL OF WICKETS

33.3: Ibrahim Zadran 87 (113b 10×4 0x6) SR: 76.99

Hasan gets some extra bounce off a length and Ibrahim departs. He looks to force it through the offside but is deceived by that extra bounce and can only edge it to Rizwan.

21.1: Rahmanullah Gurbaz 65 (53b 9×4 1×6) SR: 122.64

Afridi bowled short around middle and off, and angled across to finish outside off. Gurbaz seemed to be into his pull early, as the ball took off from the top edge for a simple catch

PAKISTAN vs AFGHANISTAN (1st INNINGS)

Opting to bat first, Pakistan put on a formidable total of 282/7 on the board, courtesy of Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam’s half-centuries, followed by a late onslaught by Iftikhar Ahmed.

Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique scripted a decent start for their side by putting up 56 runs for the first wicket, which lasted when Azmatullah Omarzai removed Imam (17) in the 11th over.

Abdullah, alongside Babar, then anchored the innings with a solid partnership before Noor Ahmed pulled things back with twin strikers, removing Abdullah (58) and Mohammad Rizwan (8) in his successive overs.

Babar then stitched brief partnerships with Saud Shakeel (25) and Shadab Khan before falling victim to Noor, who returned with splendid figures of 3/49 in his 10 overs. Babar top-scored for Pakistan with a 92-ball 74.

All-rounders Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan then launched a late onslaught on the Afghanistan bowlers, adding 73 runs in 45 deliveries before both perished in the final over.

Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan scored 40 each, while the former took just 27 deliveries, 11 fewer than Shadab.

FALL OF WICKETS

49.6: Shadab Khan 40 (38b 1×4 1×6) SR: 105.26

Naveen bowled short and wide of off and Shadab could not place it as intended and ended up handing a simple catch to Mohammad Nabi.

49.2: Iftikhar Ahmed 40 (27b 2×4 4×6) SR: 148.4

Iftikhar looked to loft this inside out, seeing that the ball was on a length, and wide of off. He got the elevation but went right into the lap of the fielder on the boundary.

41.5: Babar Azam 74 (92b 4×4 1×6) SR: 80.43

Noor bowled short and wide, inviting Babar to have a slash away from his body. He shifted his weight onto his back foot, and went hard, only to be caught by Nabi at extra cover.

Abdullah looks to sweep Noor but is hit on his front pad. Afghanistan reviews and it shows no bottom edge. The ball goes below the bat, and ball tracking shows the ball hitting the top of the leg stump.

CHENNAI: Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bat first against Afghanistan in the 22nd match of the ICC World Cup 2023 at MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Pakistan

Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi

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Afghanistan

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmed

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD:

Overall ODIs: Matches 7, Pakistan 7, Afghanistan 0

ODI World Cup: Matches 1, Pakistan 1, Afghanistan 0

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