India have been officially knocked out of Asia Cup 2022 as Pakistan defeated Afghanistan in an enthralling contest on Wednesday, 7 September. With this win, the green shirts have set up a final clash with Sri Lanka.
Chasing a target of only 130 runs, Pakistan had a poor start with both skipper Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman registering single-digit scores. However, crucial knocks from Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan, who was promoted to bat at number five, helped Pakistan stay in the game.
Following their dismissals, Asif Ali played yet another important cameo of 16 runs, but when he lost his wicket in the penultimate over, it seemed that an Afghanistan triumph was only minutes away.
The green shirts needed 12 runs from 7 deliveries but had only one wicket in hand, with pacers Naseem Shah and Mohammad Hasnain at the crease. However, speedster Naseem did the unthinkable, smashing two consecutive sixes off Fazalhaq Farooqi’s bowling in the last over to not only seal his team’s place in the final, but also eliminate India. Though the men in blue will face Afghanistan in their last Super Four match, it will be nothing more than a formality gathering as both teams have been eliminated from the final race.
Afghanistan's bowlers did well to put up a strong fight despite having a low score to defend.
(Photo: PTI)
Pakistani Bowlers Deserve Credit
Earlier in the day, Pakistan dished out a fine bowling display to restrict Afghanistan to a below-par 129/6. Afghanistan made a positive start after being sent in to bat with Hazratullah Zazai (21) and wicket-keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz (17) sharing 36 runs for the opening wicket.
After a sedate opening over, Afghanistan broke free in the next over with Gurbaz hitting Mohammad Hasnain for back-to-back sixes to pick up 16 runs. Zazai matched his partner by finding the boundary twice in the next over before Haris Rauf cleaned up Gurbaz in the fifth delivery of the fourth over.
Despite the fall of the wicket, Zazai continued his attacking vein, hitting Hasnain for a boundary before perishing in the fifth delivery after the bowler castled him with a deceptive slower delivery. Karim Janat (15) and Ibrahim Zadran (35 off 37) then tried to steady the ship as Afghanistan reached 72 for two in 10 overs.
Shadab Khan was instrumental with both bat and ball.
(Photo: PTI)
With runs hard to come by, Janat tried to force the pace of the innings but in vain as he was holed out by Fakhar Zaman off Mohammad Nawaz in the 12th over while trying for an extravagant slog sweep.
Najibullah Zadran (10) started his knock in a rollicking fashion, whipping Shadab Khan over deep midwicket before the spinner had the last laugh. It became bad to worse for Afghanistan when Mohammad Nabi departed in the next ball with Naseem Shah disturbing his timbers for a first-ball duck.
Ibrahim Zadran, however, continued to play his attacking shots and struck Shadab over the cover fence for a maximum in the next over. Zadran's knock was cut short in the next over by Rauf (2/26) when the batter thick-edged a delivery behind stumps to Mohammad Rizwan.
In the last over, Rashid Khan (18 not out) used his long handle to great effect and smashed Rauf for a six and a four to pick up 10 runs and take Afghanistan close to the 130-run mark.
(With PTI inputs)
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