| ICC Males’s Cricket World Cup, Chennai: |
| Pakistan 282-7 (50 overs): Babar 74 (92), Shafique 58 (75); Noor 3-39 |
| Afghanistan 286-2 (49 overs): Zadran 87 (113), Rahmat 77* (84), Gurbaz 65 (53), Hashmatullah 48* (45) |
| Afghanistan gained by eight wickets |
| Scorecard. Table |
Afghanistan beat Pakistan for the primary time in one-day cricket by pulling off their highest profitable chase within the format in a World Cup thriller.
Ibrahim Zadran made 87, Rahmanullah Gurbaz smacked 65 and Rahmat Shah struck an unbeaten 77 as Afghanistan reached their goal of 283 with eight wickets and 6 balls to spare.
Afghanistan are as much as sixth, leaving holders England backside of the desk.
Captain Babar Azam earlier made 74 as Pakistan posted 282-7 in Chennai.
Teenage spinner Noor Ahmad was the decide of the Afghanistan bowlers, taking 3-49.
It’s Afghanistan’s first win over Pakistan in ODIs on the eighth try, with their complete of 286-2 seeing them eclipse their earlier document profitable chase of 276-8 when set 274 to beat United Arab Emirates in 2014.
It’s also solely Afghanistan’s third World Cup win, after victories over Scotland in 2015 and England earlier on this match.
Afghanistan hold hopes alive
The Afghanistan followers within the crowd went wild when skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi hit the successful runs, the gamers saluting them with a lap of honour, some draped within the nationwide flag.
The match introduced again recollections of another thriller between the edges at Headingley within the 2019 World Cup, although it’s Afghanistan who got here out on high this time to lastly beat their neighbour on this format.
It additionally proved Afghanistan’s victory over England in Delhi was no fluke as they coped admirably below strain in the course of the run chase.
Openers Gurbaz and Zadran made a blistering begin to make sure they stayed forward of the required fee, placing on 130 for the primary wicket, their second century stand of the match.
Gurbaz top-edged to Usama Mir at third man and Zadran was caught behind off Hassan Ali 13 runs wanting a century, however Afghanistan confirmed resilience to keep up their momentum.
Rahmat hit 5 fours and two sixes in his composed knock, as Afghanistan grew to become the primary chasing group in World Cup historical past to have their high three all make half-centuries.
He was ably supported by Hashmat, who hit 48 not out from 45 balls, in an unbroken third-wicket partnership value 96 to see Afghanistan over the road.
Pakistan hunch to depressing defeat
After starting the match with back-to-back wins, Pakistan have now misplaced three in a row to go away their semi-final hopes in jeopardy.
They started properly with the bat and reached 56-0 after the powerplay, their finest 10-over complete batting first at this World Cup, however their innings floor to a halt as they have been properly shackled by Afghanistan’s spin-heavy assault.
The star with the ball for Afghanistan was 18-year-old Noor, taking part in simply his fourth ODI and making his World Cup debut.
The left-arm wrist-spinner took the important thing wickets of Abdullah Shafique, who made 58 from 75, Muhammad Rizwan and skipper Babar to assist pin Pakistan down within the center overs.
When Babar’s attritional 92-ball knock ended within the forty second over, Pakistan have been wobbling on 206-5, although Iftikhar Ahmed injected some much-needed impetus late on with a spritely 40 from simply 27 balls, together with 4 sixes.
He placed on 73 for the sixth wicket with Shadab Khan, who hit 40 from 38, as they lifted Pakistan to what appeared an imposing rating earlier than each have been dismissed within the last over.
Afghanistan confirmed great maturity and quietness within the chase, although their trigger was helped by sloppy Pakistan fielding, which left group director Mickey Arthur completely seething within the dugout.
Pakistan keep in Chennai for his or her subsequent match towards South Africa on Friday. Afghanistan head to Pune to tackle Sri Lanka on Monday.
‘That basically harm us’ – response
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi: “This win tastes good. The best way we chased was very skilled and the way in which we did that may assist us going into our different video games now.
“We’re taking part in high quality cricket. We now have all the time had perception and in the beginning of the match I advised my group I wished to make it a historic one for our nation and our folks. We did that towards England and now towards Pakistan.
“Our bowling was excellent, particularly our spinners. We gave Noor an opportunity and trusted his expertise. With the bat, the way in which we began the innings gave us numerous confidence and momentum.”
Pakistan captain Babar Azam: “That basically harm us. We acquired a great complete. Our bowling isn’t on top of things.
“In World Cups you want all three departments firing and we have not achieved that. Afghanistan performed very properly however we gave them numerous runs and it value us.
“We have been backing ourselves to win, however they performed properly in all three departments and we did not. We now have acquired to place that proper in our subsequent match.”
Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott, chatting with BBC Sport: “Ecstatic is an understatement. We have got a while off now and may let the emotion of it sink in.
“This backs up the victory towards England. These boys can play. It is nearly placing it collectively and being constant.”
