Afghanistan Defeat Pakistan in World Cup Upset

• Afghanistan’s historic ODI win: Chasing 283.
• Key players: Zadran, Shah, Gurbaz.
• Pakistan’s 282/7 falls short; Noor Ahmad shines.

In a thrilling encounter at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Afghanistan secured a historic victory over Pakistan, chasing down a target of 283 runs with wickets in hand in the 22nd game of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

This victory marked Afghanistan’s first-ever win over Pakistan in One Day Internationals (ODIs).

Afghanistan’s successful run chase was led by brilliant performances from their top-order batsmen. Ibrahim Zadran played a crucial role, scoring 87 runs, while Rahmat Shah remained unbeaten at 77. Rahmanullah Gurbaz added a valuable 65, and Hashmatullah Shahidi contributed with an unbeaten 48.

Pakistan, choosing to bat first, posted a competitive total of 282/7. Skipper Babar Azam and opener Abdullah Shafique laid the foundation with half-centuries. However, Afghanistan’s teenage leg-spinner, Noor Ahmad, made a significant impact, taking two wickets to halt Pakistan’s progress. Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan made vital contributions of 40 runs each, rescuing Pakistan from a minor collapse when they were 163/4.

Ibrahim Zadran’s dismissal, who became the fastest to reach 1000 runs for Afghanistan in ODIs during his innings, was orchestrated by Hasan Ali. Despite this breakthrough, Afghanistan’s Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi held their nerve and steered their team to victory.

Shaheen Afridi managed to break the 130-run partnership between Ibrahim and Gurbaz, providing Pakistan with a glimmer of hope. However, the Men in Green’s bowlers struggled to contain Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi, who guided Afghanistan to their second win of the tournament.

With this win, Afghanistan improved their standing in the tournament, while Pakistan now has two wins and three defeats. Pakistan is set to face South Africa at the same venue on October 27, while Afghanistan will play against Sri Lanka on October 30 in Lucknow.

Playing XIs:

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imamul Haq, Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveenul Haq, Noor Ahmad

This dramatic victory for Afghanistan will undoubtedly be remembered as a turning point in their cricketing history, as they continue to make strides on the global stage.

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