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Cricket

Asia Cup 2022: Pakistan beats Afganistan in last over nail biter

Afghanistan was eliminated from the Asia Cup 2022 after losing by a wicket in their Super 4 match on Wednesday at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah. Shadab Khan’s 36-run innings off 26 balls helped Pakistan reach 131 for nine in 19.2 overs while pursuing a 130-run mark. In an enthralling game finale, Naseem Shah (14*) hit back-to-back sixes against Fazalhaq Farooqi to advance Pakistan to the title game against Sri Lanka. Afghan cricketers were spotted sobbing on the pitch following the game, expressing their despair.

Naseem Shah’s gutsy sixes on back-to-back balls in the last over helped Pakistan upset Afghanistan by one wicket in the Asia Cup 2022 Super Four match in Sharjah on Wednesday. Pakistan required 11 runs with a wicket in hand going into the last over, owing to an incredible batting collapse. However, Naseem, a 19-year-old speedster who came in to bat at number 10 when all appeared lost, flipped the match on its head.

pak winsAs Fazalhaq Farooqi went looking for yorkers but only got full tosses, Naseem took full advantage and sent both over the boundary line for sixes, setting off a chain reaction of wild celebrations befitting of winning the championship. The youngster’s heroics were necessary following a batting collapse that saw Pakistan fall from 87-3 to 118-9, losing six wickets for 31 runs. Among their several batting failures was skipper Babar Azam, who failed for the fourth time in the Asia Cup.

After his last shot soared over far off, a joyful Shah flung away his helmet and batting gloves while rushing toward the dressing room, and his teammates also raced onto the field to rejoice the stunning victory. After Shah’s heroics, Pakistan captain Babar Azam stated, “To be honest, there was quite a stressful situation in the dressing room. I was in the locker room and I’d seen Naseem bat like this before, so I had some faith.”

Farooqi had put Pakistan on the back foot by catching Babar leg before wicket for a golden duck, then striking again in his penultimate over before bowling two full deliveries to Shah in the last over to finish with 3-34.

Haris Rauf, Pakistan’s fast bowler, led an excellent bowling attack that reduced Afghanistan to 129-6. Rauf took 2-26 after Pakistan decided to field first, knowing that a win would guarantee a spot in Sunday’s final against Sri Lanka and eliminate India from the T20 event.

Afghanistan failed to form meaningful partnerships, with Ibrahim Zadran (35) the lone batter putting up a true fight. Rahmanullah Gurbaz began cautiously before hammering fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain for two sixes in the second over.

Rauf bowled Gurbaz with an angled ball that nipped the off stump and Hasnain ended Zazai’s innings on 21 when he bowled the left-handed opener. Afghanistan continued to lose wickets, and in the captain’s 100th T20 international, fast bowler Naseem Shah bowled Mohammad Nabi for a first-ball duck as Afghanistan fell to 91-5. Ibrahim got Afghanistan to 100, but he was quickly caught by Hasnain. Rashid Khan boosted the score by hitting Rauf for four and six in the last over, finishing undefeated on 18 off 15 balls.

Rashid Khan (2-25) had Mohammad Rizwan, the freshly crowned No. 1 T20 hitter in the world, LBW before Shadab Khan (36) and Iftikhar Ahmed (30) steadied the chase with a 42-run combination. But Afghanistan didn’t give up in the dying overs, taking six fast wickets when Fareed Khan (3-31), playing his first game in the competition, got Iftikhar caught deep midwicket in the 16th over.

At the back of the mind, I thought this is T20 cricket, and I have seen Naseem bat like this, so I had a little bit of belief. This reminded me of Javed Miandad’s six in Sharjah,” Babar told reporters at the post-match presentation. “In our batting, we didn’t execute our plans very well, but Naseem was outstanding. To be honest, the dressing room was very tensed. The team was walking in and out of the dressing room. Excellent with the way Naseem Shah finished it off,” he added.

“We would like to continue this momentum and not repeat our mistakes. Every day is a different day, and we would like to take it day by day,” said the Pakistani captain.

Mohammad Nabi, losing captain told reporters: “Yes the bowling and the fielding was brilliant, but we didn’t finish well and we didn’t hold our nerves. We didn’t leave the game at any stage. The boys fought over every ball. Again, it was the end, both with the bat and with the ball. We thought that we chased well against Bangladesh. We knew it would be tough chasing 130 here, and that’s why we looked to bowl dot balls. We didn’t give easy singles. The plan on the last two deliveries was to bowl slower bouncers or bowl yorkers, but he didn’t execute his plans. We will try our best to play the last game with the same energy. We have a game tomorrow now. Thanks for the support, it was lovely from the fans here.”

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