World Cup 2019: Pakistan vs Afghanistan Match Report
World Cup 2019, Pakistan vs Afghanistan: Imad Wasim’s superb cameo keeps Pakistan alive in the tournament.
MATCH 36: PAKISTAN VS AFGHANISTAN SCORECARD
Pakistan: 230-7 in 49.4 overs | Won by 3 wickets
Imad Wasim: 49*(54) | Mohammad Nabi: 2-23 | Mujeeb Ur Rahman: 2-34
Afghanistan: 227-9 in 50 overs
Asghar Afghan: 42(35) | Shaheen Afridi: 4-47 | Wahab Riaz: 2-29
Player of the Match: Imad Wasim
MATCH SUMMARY:
Pakistan vs Afghanistan: Imad Wasim the hero in Pakistan’s improbable win against Afghanistan at World Cup 2019.
‘Unpredictable’! Yes, this word must have definitely occurred to your mind when Pakistan almost made a mockery of the chase before Imad Wasim pulled them out of Lion’s cage.
Pakistan looked such a fantastic unit while fielding against Afghanistan. Superb bowling changes, fielding was good, and they didn’t let Afghanistan getaway at any moment. However, their batting, which has been their weakness right throughout the tournament was exposed once again.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan, who too have been a poor batting unit in this tournament had yet another below-par outing with the bat.
No batsman could manage a fifty for them as two fell in the 40s, while one fell in 30s.
Asghar Afghan was the pick of the batsman for them as he tried to change the momentum of the game with his aggressive knock of 42(35).
Afghanistan, however, could only put 227 on the board in 50 overs, courtesy to few cameos from Najibullah Zadran and Rahmat Shah.
THE CHASE
Won’t be harsh to say, but Pakistan and chase is still a better love story than twilight.
Chasing 228, Pakistan were going decently at 72-1 in 15.5 overs. But, unpredictability and Pakistan go hand in hand as they were soon reduced to 156-6 in 39 overs.
With no proper batsman left to bat, and Afghanistan’s spinners bleeding fire, Imad Wasim had an improbable task left ahead of him to get Pakistan off the line.
He played sensibly against Mujeeb and Rashid as he took the game deeper, and was waiting for that one mistake from Afghanistan.
With 46 required off 30 balls, Afghanistan’s captain brought himself on, and that was the turning point in the game as Imad smashed 18 runs off that over.
It was still not easy with Rashid Khan’s two overs still left. However, Rashid’s bad tournament continued further as too many loose balls gave Wahab Riaz a chance to attack. He smashed him for a four and a six to make it 6 runs required of last 6 balls.
A slightly easier task for Imad Wasim, who remained not out on 49*(54) as he smashed a four off the fourth ball that helped Pakistan chase the target in 49.4 overs.
WHAT WENT WRONG FOR AFGHANISTAN?
- Too many starts, but no big knock from the batsmen
- Failing to capitalize on crunch moments, which probably showed their inexperience.
- Rashid Khan’s ineffectiveness being the number 1 spinner in the world.
CRUCIAL MOMENTS:
- Shadab Khan dismissing the dangerous looking, Asghar Afghan in the 26th over.
- Mohammad Nabi’s superb call to dismiss Babar Azam in the 18th over.
- Gulbadin Naib’s 46th over that tilted the game in Pakistan’s favor.
NEXT MATCH:
Match 38: INDIA VS ENGLAND
Place: Birmingham
Date: June 30, 2019
Time: 3 pm IST
England have a task in hand as they run into the unbeaten, Indian side to keep their hopes alive in the tournament.
ALSO READ: World Cup 2019: Official Away Jersey for Team India announced
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