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T20 WC updates: Pak beat Afghanistan by 5 wickets

Fri, 29 October 2021

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23:15

Asif Ali is the hero again!

Pak 148-5 (19 ovs) vs Afg 147-6 (20 ovs) | Scorecard

Pakistan beat Afghanistan by five wickets in an enthralling Super 12 match at the T20 World Cup in Dubai.

The match swung like a pendulum during Pakistan's innings, as Babar struck a 50 but Rashid pegged back Pakistan with two wickets before Shoaib Malik tried to up the ante.

But in the end with 24 needed off 12 balls, Asif Ali struck four sixes in the penultimate over to take Pakistan across the line.

Earlier, batting first, Afghanistan scored a competitive 147 for six.

Gulbadin Naib (35) and skipper Mohammad Nabi (35) shared 71 runs after Afghanistan were reduced to 64-5 in 9.1 overs.

For Pakistan, Imad Wasim (2/25) picked two wickets, while Shaheed Afridi (1/22), Haris Rauf (1/37), Hasan Ali (1/38) and Shadab Khan (1/22) accounted for one batter each.

24 needed off the last 12 balls.

Pacer Janat is back in the attack and Ali welcomes him with a six over long off.

A dot next before a short ball is nicely pulled to the cow corner for another six in the over.

A yorker next before Janat overpitches and Ali smashes the ball straight over the bowler's head for a massive maximum. 6 needed off 7 now and Ali brings up the winning runs with six over extra cover.

22:59

Naveen takes out Malik

Pak 124-5 (18 ovs) vs Afg 147-6 (20 ovs) | Scorecard

Shadab is the new man in and he wants a single but Asif Ali turns down the single, Shadab manages to make his ground in time before the keeper hits the stumps.

Just two runs and a wicket come in the over.

Naveen back in the attack and Asif Ali is the new man in.

Malik and Ali start the over with a single each off the first two balls. Malik then slaps the ball straight back to the bowler whose attempted one handed catch is put to the ground.

A dot later, he bowls wide, Malik chases the ball, gets an edge and is caught behind. He goes for 19.

Rashid continues and after a dot, Malik goes on his knees and slogs it over deep mid-wicket for a six!

Malik then dances down and mistimes the shot but gets a couple to mid-wicket.

Wide ball next down the leg side, Malik gets a single.

Babar then gets a life next ball as Naveen drops the catch at backward point.

Malik then gets a single before Rashid strikes. Babar tries to go for the big heave, misses the ball and it crashes into his stumps. Babar out for 51. 12 runs and a wicket come in the over.

22:46

100 T20I wickets for Rashid Khan

Pak 110-3 (16 ovs) vs Afg 147-6 (20 ovs) | Scorecard

Janat back in the attack and the batsmen take four singles as Babar gets to his half century.

Wide and short next and Malik just cuts it down to wide backward point for a four.

A single to third man to end the over as 9 come off it.

Shoaib Malik is the new man in, Babar on strike.

Babar gets a single to the off side. A dot later, Malik gets a single to square leg off another googly.

Babar and Malik take a single each as 4 runs and a wicket come off the over.

Rashid continues and he strikes first ball as Hafeez tries to slog sweep but only to hole out to Gulbadin at long on. Hafeez out for 10. That's 100 T20I wickets for Rashid now.

22:35

Babar looks good

Pak 97-2 (14 ovs) vs Afg 147-6 (20 ovs) | Scorecard

Nabi continues and the batsmen take a single off the first two balls. As Nabi oversteps, tight call that. Free hit now and Hafeez on strike and he picks it up and the ball goes straight to the fielder at deep midwicket and he gets only a single.

A couple down the ground to Babar next.

Dot ball later, Babar cuts the ball to backward point for a couple.

A dot to end the over as 8 come off it.

Rashid continues and after four singles, Babar gets an outside edge that goes past the slip fielder and that is a four to third man.

A dot to end the over as 8 come off it.

22:27

Fakhar out for 30

Pak 81-2 (12 ovs) vs Afg 147-6 (20 ovs) | Scorecard

Hafeez is the new man in and he gets off the mark with a couple to deep square leg.

Hafeez then gets an edge that flies past the vacant slips for a four to third man.

Two dots to end the over as 6 runs and a wicket come off it.

Nabi back in the attack and he strikes first ball as Fakhar tries to sweep, misses the ball completely, is hit on the body as he crouches right in front of the stumps. Big shout for LBW. Umpire raises the finger. Pakistan take the review and lose it. Fakhar Zaman walks back for 30.

Rashid finally brought into the attack and Fakhar starts the over with a single off an inside edge to square leg.

Azam then gets a single after a misfield at backward point.

Fakhar is then beaten by the googly as the ball goes past his outside edge.

A dot later, Fakhar takes a quick single.

Rashid strikes next ball as Babar is given out LBW. Pakistan take the review and ultra edge shows the ball had missed the bat and the ball was going down leg. Babar survives. Entertaining over that by Rashid.

22:26

Fakhar out for 30

Pak 81-2 (12 ovs) vs Afg 147-6 (20 ovs) | Scorecard

Hafeez is the new man in and he gets off the mark with a couple to deep square leg.

Hafeez then gets an edge that flies past the vacant slips for a four to third man.

Two dots to end the over as 6 runs and a wicket come off it.

Rashid finally brought into the attack and Fakhar starts the over with a single off an inside edge to square leg.

Azam then gets a single after a misfield at backward point.

Fakhar is then beaten by the googly as the ball goes past his outside edge.

A dot later, Fakhar takes a quick single.

22:10

Pakistan in the chase

Pak 72-1 (10 ovs) vs Afg 147-6 (20 ovs) | Scorecard

Janat continues and Babar starts the over with a single before Fakhar slaps the ball to short third man for a single.

Short bouncer next and Babar pulls it to mid wicket for a single.

Fakhar then plays the ball to backward point for a single.

Babar then gets to the pitch of the ball and slaps the ball to deep extra cover for a couple.

Babar then cuts the short ball to the third man boundary for a four as 10 come off it.

Naveen back in the attack and he overpitches, Babar just lofts the wide ball over backward point for a four.

Babar and Fakhar then take a single each before Babar just nicely guides the ball down past the vacant slips to third man for a four.

Babar then gets a couple to mid wicket after a fumble allows the batters to take a second run.

Babar then taps the ball down and runs a single to bring up the 50-run stand. 13 come off the over.

22:01

Mujeeb impressive with the ball

Pak 49-1 (8 ovs) vs Afg 147-6 (20 ovs) | Scorecard

Pacer Janat comes in the attack and the batsmen are happy to just rotate the strike and get the singles and twos as 5 come off the over.

Mujeeb continues and Fakhar starts the over with a single to the off side.

A dot later, Babar flicks the ball to mid-wicket for a single.

Fakhar then gets a couple to mid on before surviving a LBW shot but Fakhar hit his pad and the ball went behind the keeper and they get a single.

A single off a leg bye off the final ball of the over as 6 come off it.

21:52

Fakhar Zaman looking good

Pak 38-1 (6 ovs) vs Afg 147-6 (20 ovs) | Scorecard

Pacer Naveen in the attack now and after a dot, Fakhar gets a single to backward point.

Babar then square cuts the ball for a single.

Naveen then drifts down and Fakhar flicks it down to square leg for a four.

A dot later, Fakhar takes a quick single to point to end the over as 7 runs come off it.

Mujeeb continues and he gives just 2 in the over.

Nabi continues and Fakhar and Babar take four singles off the first four balls of the over, Fakhar sweeps hard over mid-wicket for a four.

Consecutive boundaries for Fakhar who comes down the pitch and smacks the ball to deep mid-wicket for a four. 14 come off it.

21:38

Afghanistan set Pak 148 for victory

Pak 15-1 (3 ovs) vs Afg 147-6 (20 ovs) | Scorecard

Zaman is the new man in and after a dot, he gets off the mark with a single.

Babar ends the over with a couple to deep mid as 4 runs and a wicket come off it.

Mujeeb continues and Babar starts the over with a quick single. A dot later, Mujeeb takes out Rizwan who tries to slog sweep the bowler but only to find the fielder at deep square leg. He goes for 8.

Nabi opens from the other end and Rizwan and Azam take a singles off the first four balls of the over. A dot later, Nabi bowls on Rizwan's pads and he just lofts the ball over short fine leg for a four. 8 come off the over.

Rizwan and Babar come to the crease while spinner Mujeeb opens the bowling for Afghanistan and he starts well as just 3 runs come in the over.

21:24

Nabi-Gulbadin smack bowling in death overs

Afg 147-6 (20 ovs) vs Pak | Scorecard

Afghanistan captain Mohammed Nabi and Gulbadin put up a 50-run stand to give a thrilling finish to their innings to prop them to 147 for 6 in their 20 overs against Pakistan.

After a slow start and a little stutter in the middle overs, Nabi and Gulabadin played steadily before launching into Hasan Ali and Rauf in the 18th and 19th overs to take 36 runs off two overs.

They eventually managed to get to 147.

43 come off the last 3 overs.

Shaheen back in the attack and Nabi and Gulbadin can only get a single each off the first two balls.

Shaheen then bowls a yorker that Nabi nicely clips it to the leg side for a single.

A ball to the leg side next and Gulbadin plays the yorker to short fine. Leg bye that.

Nabi then plays the ball to long off and gets a single.

Full toss ball, above waist high and that is a no ball. Free hit to Gulbadin. But he only gets a single to the leg side as 7 come off the over.

Rauf continues and the Nabi takes a single to bring up the 50-run partnership with Gulbadin.

Gulbadin takes a single before Nabi gets back-to-back fours --he first swings his bat and the edge flies to third man. The short ball is then pulled to deep mid boundary.

A single later, Gulbadin pulls the ball to fine leg for a four. 15 come off the over.

36 off the last two overs.

21:07

Hasan Ali gets a tonking

Afg 125-6 (18 ovs) vs Pak | Scorecard

Hasan Ali back in the attack and Gulbadin has taken the bowler to the cleaners, smashing him for two fours and a six including a couple of twos and no balls making no favours for Pakistan as 21 come off the over!

Rauf back in the attack and he gives just three singles.

Afghanistan looking for the big shots here as they take on Hasan Ali and Shaheen Afridi as they take 15 runs off two overs.

20:41

Nabi leads fight back

Afg 86-6 (14 ovs) vs Pak | Scorecard

Pacer Rauf is back in the attack and Nabi starts the over with a four as he guides the ball down to the third man boundary.

After two dots, Rauf bowls a wide down the leg side before Nabi nicely creams the half volley through extra cover for a four.

A dot later, Nabi flicks the ball to short fine leg for a single as 9 come off the over.

Naib is the new man in and plays the last ball safely. 9 runs and a wicket come off it.

Shadab continues and Nabi starts the over with a quick couple to the leg side.

A dot later, Nabi takes a single to mid-wicket.

Zadran then just slogs the next ball over square leg as he sweeps it hard and flat for a six!

Oh Shadab gets his revenge next ball as Zadran is done in by the googly. The ball turns to the off side on pitching, Zadran gets the outside edge and is caught behind for 22.

20:31

Pak bowlers on the money

Afg 67-5 (12 ovs) vs Pak | Scorecard

Pakistan bowlers have turned the screws on the Afghan batters as runs are coming at a premium here.

Hasan Ali back in the attack and he is so accurate, not giving any freebies to Zadran and that is a maiden over!

Shadab continues and Nabi and Zadran take a single off the first two balls before Nabi safely sees out the rest of the over as 2 come off it.

20:24

Lose half the side inside 10 overs

Afg 65-5 (10 ovs) vs Pak | Scorecard

Nabi is the new man in and after two dots, Imad bowls a lovely quick ball that just beats Nabi's outside edge!

Nabi then gets off the mark with a single to mid-wicket.

Dot to end the over as just a single and a wicket come off the over.

Afghanistan now have half the side back in the hut.

Imad continues and he strikes first ball of the over as Janat's sweep shot does him in. He tries to sweep but only manages to get a top edge and is caught by Zaman at deep mid-wicket.

After bowling a tight opening over, Shadab is taken to the cleaners by Zadran who hammers him for two superb fours are struck on either side of the wicket as 9 runs come in the over.

20:16

Pak peg back opposition

Afg 55-4 (8 ovs) vs Pak | Scorecard

Afghanistan slow down post Powerplay overs.

Imad back in the attack and he has come back nicely to give just 4 in the over.

Leggie Shahdab in the attack and he does well to give just 2 in the over.

Zadran is the new man in, Janat on strike and he plays the ball to fine leg for a four.

A dot later, Hasan oversteps. Nothing comes off the free hit.

A quick single is taken next ball and a dot later, Zadran ends the over with a four through covers.

Hasan Ali in the attack now and he gets a wicket first ball, he bowls short, Gurbaz pulls but only hits it high and is caught by Babar at mid-on. 10 come off it. Good run rate for Afghanistan but they have lost way too many scalps early in the match.

20:05

Rauf takes out Ashghar for 10

Afg 39-3 (5 ovs) vs Pak | Scorecard

The atmosphere is electric as wickets are falling in a heap but Afghanistan are also happy to deal in boundaries.

Janat is the new man in and he is welcomed by a lovely yorker that he does well to dig out.

A dot later, Janat just nicely guides the ball over third man for a six in the stands. 9 runs and a wicket come off the over.

Fast bowler Rauf comes into the attack and Gurbaz starts the over with a couple to the on side. A quick ball next but Gurbaz gets a single.

Rauf strikes as Asghar is gone next ball off a soft dismissal as he hands the bowler a return catch and he is out for 10.

Imad continues and Gurbaz starts the over with a maximum as goes down on his knee and smacks it over mid-wicket for a six.

A single later, Afghan plays a dot.

Gurbaz then survives a run-out as Pakistan's Rizwan's wayward throw sees Imad struggle to collect and Gurbaz makes it.

Asghar then comes down the pitch and flat bats the ball over mid-wicket for a maximum.

A boundary to end the over as Ashghar flicks it past the short fine fumbling fielder for a four.

17 runs come off it.

19:52

Shahzad goes cheaply

Afg 13-2 (3 ovs) vs Pak | Scorecard

Ashghar is the new man in and he survives two balls as 5 runs and a wicket come off it.

Shaheen continues and after a dot, Shahzad creams the ball through the off side for the first boundary of the evening.

A dot later, Afghanistan lose another wicket as Shaheen takes out Shahzad who tries to launch the bowler over long-on but only manages to find the mid-on fielder.

Earlier, West Indies beat Bangladesh by three runs in a Group 1 Super 12 match in Sharjah.

Sent in to bat, West Indies made 142 for seven and then restricted Bangladesh to 139 for five.

For West Indies, Nicholas Pooran top-scored with a 22-ball 40, while Roston Chase made 39.

Shoriful Islam (2/20), Mahedi Hasan (2/27) and Mustafizur Rahman (2/43) were the wicket-takers for Bangladesh.

Chasing the target, Liton Das scored 44 while skipper Mahmudullah remained unbeaten on 31.

19:45

West Indies beat Bangladesh by three runs

Afg 8-1 (2 ovs) vs Pak | Scorecard

Gurbaz is the new man in. Shahzad has strike and he takes a single to mid-wicket.

Gurbaz plays out two dots as three runs and a wicket come off it.

Left arm spinner Imad in the attack now and he starts with a wide down the leg side.

Shahzad then gets a single to the leg side.

A dot later, Imad strikes. Zazai tries to go big, only manages to get the top edge and is well caught by the Haris Rauf. Good catch and Zazai out for a duck.

Zazai and Shahzad to open the batting for Afghanistan while Shaheen Afridi opens the bowling for Pakistan.

Poor start from Shaheen as he begins with a wide down the leg side.

Another ball swinging down the leg side and Afghanistan open their account with a single off a leg bye.

Shahzad tries to walk down the pitch and connect, thankfully he didn't get an edge.

Shahzad off the mark with a single down to third man.

Shaheen then bowls a deadly yorker that goes down leg, that Zazai misses and he gets a single off a leg bye.

Shahzad then gets a single to the off side and takes a quick single.

Shaheen again bowls a full toss that hits Zazai on the pads, big shout. Not out says the umpire, Pakistan take the review and lose it as the review shows that the ball would have missed the off stump.

19:21

Pakistan looking to make it three in three

Aghanistan captain Mohammed Nabi has won the toss and elected to bat against Pakistan in their T20 World Cup Super 12 match in Dubai on Friday.

Both teams going unchanged tonight.

Pakistan have kick-started their Twenty20 World Cup campaign by winning both their grudge matches against India and New Zealand but coach Saqlain Mushtaq insists they cannot afford to lower their guard against a "fearless" Afghanistan in Friday's Super 12 contest.

"The boys put their heart and soul in the first two matches," Saqlain, who took over as the interim head coach just before the tournament, told reporters on Thursday.

"The confidence and the self-belief we got from those two matches, we have to take it forward.

"Regardless of who we face, whether it's Afghanistan or any other team, we need to play that brand of cricket and execute our plans with that mindset.

"If we can't do that, it would come back to bite us."

The Babar Azam-led side will certainly go into this contest as favourites but Afghanistan is not a side that can be taken lightly now. A mix of powerful strikers and world-class spinners make them an exciting unit.

Afghanistan batters dominated the Scotland bowlers with their power-hitting but now they have to contend with an attack which is one of the most dangerous in this event.

They will have to show maturity and treat the balls on merit. Going after the attack blindly is not an option against Pakistan.

If Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Najibullah Zadran can muscle the ball around, the world-class spinners in Rashid Khan and Mujeeb-Ur Rahman make Afghanistan a very balanced side.

Bowling first looks the best option for them since Rashid and Rahman have the ability to stop even the best in the world. The batters can then devise a strategy around the chase since they do not lack the killer instinct but are still inexperienced to handle big-stage pressure matches.

The way pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali and Haris Rauf have troubled the batters thus far, it's highly unlikely that the Pakistan pace trio can be put under the pump by Afghans.

Add to that the experience of off-spinner Mohammed Hafeez and the guile of Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan, it's no mean task for Afghanistan to dictate this side.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (w), Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi

Afghanistan: Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad (w), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (c), Asghar Afghan, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

T20 WC updates: Pak beat Afghanistan by 5 wickets

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