Known for scripting setbacks, the Afghanistan cricket team stunned Pakistan in an emphatic 8-wicket victory against neighbouring Pakistan in the ongoing World Cup 2023. With this defeat, Afghanistan created history by defeating Pakistan for the first time in an ODI.
Batting first, Pakistan scored a formidable score of 282, with captain Babar Azam contributing with a lacklustre half-century. Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad managed to pull breaks on Pakistan’s free-flowing run-scoring, chipping in two quick wickets, one of them being the big-prized wicket of Muhammad Rizwan. He later also took the wicket of Babar Azam, when Pakistan seemed poised to post a mammoth score.
However, Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed managed to take Pakistan to a respectable score of 282. But Afghanistan’s batters put the spanners in the works for Pakistan, winning their first ODI match against Pakistan.
Charismatic batsmen Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran took Afghanistan to a flying start. The duo posted a quickfire partnership of 130 runs in 20 overs as it blunted Pakistan’s famed bowling line-up that has been off-colour so far in the World Cup.
Zadran, unfortunately, fell 13 short of a century after Pakistan’s premier bowler, Shaheen Shah Afridi, got him out in his second when Afghanistan were at 190. Middle-order batsman Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi batted with remarkable equanimity, never allowing the required run rate to go past their reach. Shah scored 77 unbeaten and Shahidi 48 runs to seal the victory for Afghanistan.
In the post-match presentation, Ibrahim Zadran, who was awarded the Man of the Match for his spirited 87, said he dedicated his award to Afghans who were forcibly sent back from Pakistan to Afghanistan.
Pakistan will be playing South Africa in their next match, while Afghanistan will face off with their Asian counterpart, Sri Lanka.