Friday, August 25, 2023
The last over of the second ODI of the three-match series among Pakistan and Afghanistan ended up being frightening when Naseem Shah pulled off an amazing triumph against the hosts at Hambantota on Thursday.
Naseem Shah, who emerged to bat at number 10, was at the wrinkle in the 50th over while Shadab Khan was at the opposite end when Fazalhaq Farooqi hit on bowl.
What occurred in those last five conveyances kept everybody alert and aware.
The 20-year-old miscued a limit off Afghanistan's pacer on the fifth conveyance and ran cheerfully towards the changing area as Pakistan scored 11 off the last over to wrap up with 302-9 in 49.5 overs.
The triumph gave Pakistan an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-coordinate series with the keep going game in Colombo on Saturday.
Pakistan's late flood eclipsed Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz's profession best run-a-ball 151 that lifted his group to 300-5 in their 50 overs.
The last two overs of Pakistan's pursuit were loaded with show.
Shadab Khan hit Abdul Rahman for a four and a six off the last two bundles of the 49th over.
Farooqi ran out Shadab at the non-striker's end toward the beginning of the last done with a Mankad excusal.
In the last finished, Naseem hit the principal ball he looked for four and did likewise off the fifth conveyance to dominate the match.
Naseem had raised a ruckus around town bowler for two last over sixes to give Pakistan triumph by one wicket in the Asia Cup Twenty20 game in Sharjah last year.
Shadab, whose 35-ball 48 contained three fours and a six, resuscitated Pakistan's pursuit in the last overs after his group tumbled to 258-7.
Opener Imam-ul-Haq's 105-ball 91 with four fours set the stage.
After the match, captain Babar Azam adulated his players.
"All credit to the young men," said the star player whose group will leap to number one in ODI rankings assuming they dominate the last game.
"We realized we could pursue 80 or 90 in the last 10 overs and recognition for Naseem who comes up in crunch circumstances."
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi conceded the loss was agonizing.
"It is harming in light of the fact that we had an adequate number of runs however without a second to spare they removed the game from us," said Shahidi, faulting the penultimate over for the swing of destiny.
"The...49th around there were a few simple balls to the batsman and they crushed it."
