Asia Cup ’18 – Pakistan Vs Afghanistan Super 4: Shoaib Malik Stars In A Thrilling Win

Pakistan vs Afghanistan
Super 4; Match 2
afghanistan logo
             Match Basics
Super 4; Match 2:  Pakistan vs Afghanistan
Date: 21st September 2018
Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Umpires: Anil Chaudhary, Shaun George
Toss won by: Afghanistan, elected to bat first
 Scorecard Summary
Afghanistan’s 1st Innings: 257/6 (50 Overs, RR: 5.14)
Performers: 
Batting: Rahmat Shah 36 off 51 balls, Hashmatullah Shahidi 97* off 118 balls, Asghar Afghan 67 off 56 balls
Bowling: Shaheen Shah Afridi 2/38 in 10 overs, Mohammad Nawaz 3/57 in 10 overs, Hasan Ali 1/51 in 10 overs
Target: 258 runs from 50 overs
Pakistan’s 2nd Innings: 258/7 (49.3 Overs, RR: 5.21)
Performers: 
Batting: Imam-ul-Haq 80 from 104 balls, Babar Azam 66 off 94 balls, Shoaib Malik 51* off 43 balls.
Bowling: Rashid Khan 3/46 in 10 overs , Mujeeb Ur Rehman 2/33 in 10 overs, Gulbadin Naib 2/61 in 10 overs.
Result: Pakistan won by 3 wickets
Man Of The Match: Shoaib Malik
Highlights & Analysis
Pakistan Vs Afghanistan: Afghanistan’s 1st Innings

  • After a humiliating loss to India, Pakistan hoped to find their form back with three changes in their squad, with Haris Sohail, Shaheen and Mohammad Nawaz in the playing XI.
  • Meanwhile, Afghanistan who had won both their matches of Group B, won the toss, and chose to bat first.

  • Usman Khan was given the new ball by Sarfraz, and the pacer delivered a no-ball in the very first over, which also resulted in Pakistan, losing it’s only review of the innings.

  • Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled from the other end. The youngster bowled with pace and low economy, however two fielding lapses in two balls, denied him a wicket in the early overs.
  • Now, spin was introduced into the attack by Sarfraz in the form of Mohammad Nawaz.
  • And, after only one over, Nawaz struck as he claimed the wicket of Ihsanullah, in his 2nd over of the innings.

  • Rahmat Shah joined Mohammad Shahzad. This partnership lasted only one over, as Nawaz struck again in his next over, to dismiss Shahzad.
  • With both openers lost to spin, Shahidi joined Rahmat Shah. The partnership went on for 63 runs, until finally it was broken by none other than Mohammad Nawaz.

  • Now, Afghanistan’s captain, Asghar Afghan joined Shahidi. The pair made sure that Pakistan bowlers continued to toil, as another 50 run stand was brought up by the two batsmen.
  • Shahidi continued with his average strike rate, while Asghar Afghan kept the run rate in check by occassionally attacking a bowler.

  • Soon, Afghanistan’s total passed 150 runs, and now ever Mohammad Nawaz was looking less threatning in front of Afghanistan.
  • Bowling changes did not seem to work for Pakistan, as this partnership now extended to 94 runs, with both Shahidi and Asghar Afghan scoring wondrous fifties.

  • This is when Shaheen’s slower ball did the trick, as Asghar Afghan’s stumps were shattered in the 42nd over.
  • At this point, Afghanistan were 4 wickets down for 188 runs, with 8 overs in hand.
  • Mohammad Nabi joined Shahidi. However, Shaheen appeared to be in blazing form as he made no mistake in getting his 2nd wicket in the form of Nabi.

  • Najibullah Zadran joined Hashmatullah Zaidi. This brief stand was broken by Hasan Ali who finally got his first wicket of the match by hitting the stumps of Zaidi.
  • Nevertheless, a strong finish was made by Afghanistan as they scored 46 runs from the last four overs, but unfortunately Shahidi could not get to his century.

Pakistan Vs Afghanistan: Pakistan’s 2nd Innings

  • With 258 runs to win from 50 overs, Pakistan openers Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq came out to bat.
  • For Afghanistan, the new ball was given to Mujeeb Ur Rehman. And, this move proved too fruitful, as Fakhar Zaman got out on a duck, 2nd time in a row.

  • This wicket already made Pakistan vs Afghanistan match to a thrilling one.
  • Imam-ul-Haq joined Babar Azam. The pair defied the Afghanistan bowlers and notched up a fifty run partnership in 15 overs.
  • Runs continued to come easily as Pakistan’s total reached 100 and after that, Imam reached his half century.

  • 3 overs later, Babar Azam also reached his half century, as Pakistan looked set to win this match (Pakistan vs Afghanistan).

  • Both players continued to rotate the strike, as Pakistan breached the 150-mark in 33 overs.
  • But, in the very next over, a lapse in judgement cost Imam-ul-Haq his wicket, as Najibullah Zadran’s direct hit got him run-out.

  • Haris Sohail joined Babar Azam. And, this is when Rashid Khan struck again as Babar Azam was stumped by the lightning quick hands of the Afghan keeper, Shahzad.

  • With 99 runs required from 14 overs, Shoaib Malik joined Haris Sohail. The pair shared a partnership of 36 runs, after which Haris Sohail departed off Mujeeb’s bowling.

  • The Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmad joined Shoaib Malik, however after managing only 8 runs, he got out to Gulbadin Naib.

  • Now, with Pakistan needing 42 runs off 30 balls, Asif Ali joined Shoaib Malik. However, after hitting a six to Rashid Khan, he departed in the very next ball, as Pakistan slumped to six wickets.
  • With 32 runs required to win this match, Mohammad Nawaz joined Shoaib Malik. The pair took the match to the last two overs, after which Nawaz departed off Rashid’s bowling.
  • At this point, this match (Pakistan vs Afghanistan) appeared to a one-sided match.
  • Now, with 16 runs required off 9 balls, Hasan Ali joined Shoaib Malik. Thanks to Hasan Ali’s six the match came to the last over, and it was Malik who struck a six and a four to win it for Pakistan.

This is the end of Pakistan Vs Afghanistan Super 4; Match 2. Join Allsportspk on Sunday, 23rd September for the next Super 4 match between Bangladesh Vs India.

Teams
Pakistan Afghanistan

Asif Ali

Babar Azam

Fakhar Zaman

Haris Sohail

Hasan Ali

Imam-ul-Haq

Mohammad Nawaz(3)

Sarfraz Ahmed (Capt.) (Wkt.)

Shaheen Shah Afridi

Shoaib Malik

Usman Khan

Aftab Alam

Asghar Afghan (Capt.)

Gulbadin Naib

Hashmatullah Shahidi

Ihsanullah

Mohammad Nabi

Mohammad Shahzad (Wkt.)

Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Najibullah Zadran

Rahmat Shah

Rashid Khan

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