PAK vs AFG: Spirited Afghanistan Choke Sloppy Pakistan To Secure First-ever ODI Win

Following Afghanistan's remarkable victory over England, doubts arose about whether it was a mere stroke of luck. Before the World Cup, few had anticipated a remarkable performance from a team that did not have a home ground in their own country. However, lightning struck twice as Afghanistan outclassed Pakistan's renowned bowling attack, securing their second win of the ODI World Cup 2023.

This eight wicket victory held special significance as it marked Afghanistan's first-ever win against Pakistan after eight attempts. The redemption was even sweeter considering their heart-wrenching loss in the previous edition of the World Cup when Pakistan snatched a victory by three wickets with just two balls remaining.

Afghanistan’s top order was up to the mark, putting up an opening stand of 130 runs, thanks to the contributions by Rahmanullah Gurbaz who played a vital innings of 65 runs before getting caught by Usama Mir off a delivery by Shaheen Afridi.

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On the other end, Ibrahim Zadran’s innings was the highlight of Afghanistan batting, adding 87 runs to the scoreboard before being caught by Rizwan.

Rahmat Shah and skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi were the heroes of the day for Afghanistan. Both displayed exceptional skill, with Rahmat scoring well-deserved half-century. Their partnership proved to be the turning point, guiding Afghanistan to a convincing victory.

Mickey Arthur displayed visible frustration on the screen. Despite Pakistan's strong batting performance in the first innings, their fielding left much to be desired.

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Earlier, Pakistan overcame a sluggish start to post a formidable total of 282 against Afghanistan. The late-innings fireworks, ignited by Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed, bolstered their innings with 61 runs during the final five overs.

Afghanistan's Noor Ahmad emerged as the standout bowler, scalping three crucial wickets, including that of Pakistan's skipper, Babar Azam, who contributed a solid 74 to the team's score.

Winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bat first at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Notable lineup changes saw Shadab Khan replacing Mohammad Nawaz for Pakistan, while Afghanistan introduced Noor Ahmad in place of Fazalhaq Farooqi.