What a nail biting triller it was finally Pakistan still keep their hopes alive for the semifinal!
The match 36 of the ICC Men’s WC was happened between Pakistan and Afghanistan on June 29 2019, at Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds, England by 10:30 am the local time. The toss was won by Afghan captain Gulbadin Naib and he elected to bat 1st.
First Innings :
It was the Afghan openers Rahmat Shah and the skipper Gulbadin Naib who started the innings but, the skipper did not accompany his partner as Gulbadin Naib went for just 15 off 12 balls with 3 boundaries included. 1st the Umpire nodded his head for not out and then the review was successfully taken by the Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed who dismiss the Afghan skipper. Then it was Hashmatullah Shahidi who went for a golden duck as it was a leading edge towards the mid off region bowled by Shaheen Afridi. Once again it was the top order batsman Rahmat Shah who got a leading edge for Imad Wasim caught by Babar Azam for 35 off 43 balls with 5 fours included. The young 18 year old Afghanistan wicket-keeper batsman Ikram Ali Khil along with his senior teammate Asghar Afghan built a strong and steady 64 runs partnership off 80 balls which was the highest partnership of the innings. It was Asghar Afghan and the young Imkram Ali Khil gave their wicket and next it was Asghar made 42 off 35 deliveries with 2 sixes and 3 fours included. The young wicket-keeper could only contribute 24 off 66 balls with only one boundary took place.
It was the Afghanistan’s main hope and star player Mohammad Nabi and Najibullah Zadran who made 42 off 54 balls with 6 boundaries included were the only 2 last batsmen who scored some runs to lift the team’s total to a decent score. The Pakistan pacemaker Shaheen Afridi was the key of their bowlers who picked his 4th 4 wicket-haul along with Wahab Riaz sensible attack by picking up 2 wickets as the spinner Imad Wasim also picked 2 wickets. Thus Afghanistan finally made 227 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 50 overs.
Second Innings :
It’s an important match for Pakistan to keep their World Cup hopes alive. So the target of 228 can be chased easily. But, when Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq who both came in the middle there, happened the destruction to Fakhar Zaman by their regular spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman. As Fakhar Zaman went without scoring in the very next ball when Pakistan started their chase. Then came the world class Pakistan’s most dependable batsman Babar Azam who partnered with Imam-ul-Haq for a solid 72 runs which was the key partnership of the entire match. Imam-ul-Haq gave his wicket for 36 off 51 runs with 4 fours included and bowled by Mohammad Nabi st by the wicket-keeper Ikram Ali Khil. Yes! Nabi took another crucial wicket of Babar Azam for 45 off 51 balls with 5 top shots (fours) included. The expected Mohammad Hafeez and Haris Sohail failed to give some hope for the win as they could only make 19 off 35 by Hafeez and 27 off 57 by Haris Sohail. It was finally supported by Imad Wasim who made a cracking 49 off 54 balls as he placed his last boundary with a match winning boundary along with the trailender Wahab’s sensibile game brought Pakistan to beat Afghanistan with 3 wickets remaining and keep their WC hopes alive. Imad in his 49 smashed 5 boundaries. Expect Afghan’s 3 greatest asset like Mohammad Nabi who took 2 wickets, Mujeeb Ur Rahman who contributed 2 wickets and Rashid Khan’s 1 wicket was their contribution for Afghanistan. Thus Pakistan won the last over triller with a boundary by Imad Wasim as Pakistan reached the target of 228 for the loss of 7wickets in 49.4 overs.
Man of the Match(MOM): It was Pakistan’s Imad Wasim who played a matured and a match winning knock with the bat and was exceptional as he picked 2 wickets with the ball deserved him to receive the Man of the Match award.
Records: Pakistan has never lost a match against Afghanistan in World Cup. To be noted no one had scored a fifty in both their innings.
The match 36 of the ICC Men’s WC was happened between Pakistan and Afghanistan on June 29 2019, at Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds, England by 10:30 am the local time. The toss was won by Afghan captain Gulbadin Naib and he elected to bat 1st.
First Innings :
It was the Afghan openers Rahmat Shah and the skipper Gulbadin Naib who started the innings but, the skipper did not accompany his partner as Gulbadin Naib went for just 15 off 12 balls with 3 boundaries included. 1st the Umpire nodded his head for not out and then the review was successfully taken by the Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed who dismiss the Afghan skipper. Then it was Hashmatullah Shahidi who went for a golden duck as it was a leading edge towards the mid off region bowled by Shaheen Afridi. Once again it was the top order batsman Rahmat Shah who got a leading edge for Imad Wasim caught by Babar Azam for 35 off 43 balls with 5 fours included. The young 18 year old Afghanistan wicket-keeper batsman Ikram Ali Khil along with his senior teammate Asghar Afghan built a strong and steady 64 runs partnership off 80 balls which was the highest partnership of the innings. It was Asghar Afghan and the young Imkram Ali Khil gave their wicket and next it was Asghar made 42 off 35 deliveries with 2 sixes and 3 fours included. The young wicket-keeper could only contribute 24 off 66 balls with only one boundary took place.
It was the Afghanistan’s main hope and star player Mohammad Nabi and Najibullah Zadran who made 42 off 54 balls with 6 boundaries included were the only 2 last batsmen who scored some runs to lift the team’s total to a decent score. The Pakistan pacemaker Shaheen Afridi was the key of their bowlers who picked his 4th 4 wicket-haul along with Wahab Riaz sensible attack by picking up 2 wickets as the spinner Imad Wasim also picked 2 wickets. Thus Afghanistan finally made 227 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 50 overs.
Second Innings :
It’s an important match for Pakistan to keep their World Cup hopes alive. So the target of 228 can be chased easily. But, when Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq who both came in the middle there, happened the destruction to Fakhar Zaman by their regular spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman. As Fakhar Zaman went without scoring in the very next ball when Pakistan started their chase. Then came the world class Pakistan’s most dependable batsman Babar Azam who partnered with Imam-ul-Haq for a solid 72 runs which was the key partnership of the entire match. Imam-ul-Haq gave his wicket for 36 off 51 runs with 4 fours included and bowled by Mohammad Nabi st by the wicket-keeper Ikram Ali Khil. Yes! Nabi took another crucial wicket of Babar Azam for 45 off 51 balls with 5 top shots (fours) included. The expected Mohammad Hafeez and Haris Sohail failed to give some hope for the win as they could only make 19 off 35 by Hafeez and 27 off 57 by Haris Sohail. It was finally supported by Imad Wasim who made a cracking 49 off 54 balls as he placed his last boundary with a match winning boundary along with the trailender Wahab’s sensibile game brought Pakistan to beat Afghanistan with 3 wickets remaining and keep their WC hopes alive. Imad in his 49 smashed 5 boundaries. Expect Afghan’s 3 greatest asset like Mohammad Nabi who took 2 wickets, Mujeeb Ur Rahman who contributed 2 wickets and Rashid Khan’s 1 wicket was their contribution for Afghanistan. Thus Pakistan won the last over triller with a boundary by Imad Wasim as Pakistan reached the target of 228 for the loss of 7wickets in 49.4 overs.
Man of the Match(MOM): It was Pakistan’s Imad Wasim who played a matured and a match winning knock with the bat and was exceptional as he picked 2 wickets with the ball deserved him to receive the Man of the Match award.
Records: Pakistan has never lost a match against Afghanistan in World Cup. To be noted no one had scored a fifty in both their innings.