Afghanistan created historical past by trouncing Pakistan for the primary time in ODIs, courtesy of a superb batting show by Afghanistan’s Top four and Noor Ahmed’s excellent three-wicket haul. Pakistan’s sad knack of slipping on banana skins resurfaced but once more because it turned out to be a red-letter day for the Afghanistan aspect as they prompted an enormous upset by trouncing Men in Green by eight wickets in Chennai.
This is the second time the Afghanistan group prompted an enormous upset within the ongoing marquee occasion as the lads of the warrior nation defeated the defending champions England by 69 runs on the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (65) Ibrahim Zadran (87) and Rahmat Shah (77)* starred with the bat to assist Afghanistan register a commanding upset triumph.
Chasing a goal of 283, Afghanistan’s harmful openers made a brisk begin, scoring 60 runs with out loss within the opening powerplay.In a spectacular present of boundary-hitting, each Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran struck fifty as Afghanistan’s openers took the assault again to Pakistan.
Gurbaz’s assault got here to a cease when he was run out by the returning Shaheen Shah Afridi for 65 off 53 balls, giving Pakistan the much-needed breakthrough.
Rahmat Shah joined Ibrahim in coping with the difficult center overs, and the pair lowered the mandatory runs all the way down to double figures with a cushty partnership, laying the groundwork for a powerful end in Chennai.
But, Pakistan saved the sport very a lot alive when Hasan Ali supplied his group with a giant breakthrough as he ended an impressive innings from Ibrahim Zadran for 87 to arrange a nail-biting end. In the 41st over of the sport, Rahmat Shah additionally introduced up his half-century off 58 balls.
After the 40 over, Rahmat and Hashmattullah Shah shone via because the stress mounted within the late innings. Rahmat and Hashmattulah led their group dwelling in model, triggering joyous scenes among the many Afghanistan squad.
Earlier, Babar Azam top-scored with 74 as Pakistan adopted their blueprint to publish 282/7 at a spin-friendly Chennai.
Despite appreciable stress from Afghanistan’s excellent four-pronged spin assault, half-centuries from Abdullah Shafique (58) and Babar enabled Pakistan to determine a basis. Brief rating: Pakistan 282/7 (Babar Azam 77, Abdullah Shafique 58; Noor Ahmad 3-49) vs Afghanistan 286/2 (Ibrahim Zadran 87, Rahmat Shah 77*; Hasan Ali 1-44).
