Asia Cup: Naseem Shah’s sixes crush India’s hopes as Pakistan beat Afghanistan by 1 wicket

PTI

Sharjah, September 7

Right-arm pacer Naseem Shah struck two sixes in the final over as Pakistan defeated Afghanistan by one wicket in a tense Asia Cup Super 4s match to send India out of the tournament here today.

Afghanistan were firmly in control of the match till the last over, reducing Pakistan to 118/9. But, Shah had other plans as he hit Fazalhaq Farooqi for two consecutive sixes to send both Afghanistan and India out of reckoning for a final berth.

With two wins from as many games, both Pakistan and Sri Lanka have sealed their places in the Sunday’s final.

India and Afghanistan will lock horns in their final Super 4 match tomorrow, which has been rendered inconsequential.

It has been a good tournament so far for me. Playing in UAE helps us — PSL and other series. We have that advantage. —Shadab Khan, Player of the match

The boys were brilliant with the ball and the field. But again we didn’t finish well, we didn’t control our nerves at the end. We didn’t give up at any stage. Tomorrow we will play with the same energy. —Mohammed Nabi , Afghanistan skipper

Pakistan had a torrid time during their chase, losing skipper Babar Azam (0) early as the batter endured another failure after being trapped LBW by Fazalhaq Farooqi (3/31) in the second ball of the innings. To make matters worse for Pakistan, Fakhar Zaman (5) was run out in the first delivery of the fourth over, off a direct throw from Najibullah Zadran.

Afghanistan got the upper hand when Rashid Khan (2/25) trapped in-form Mohammad Rizwan (20). On the back foot after losing three key batters, Shadab Khan (36) took the attack to the opposition and clobbered Mohammad Nabi for a six and a four in the 12th over to break the shackles.

Fareed Ahmad (3/31) brought Afghanistan back into the match by breaking the dangerous-looking 45-run fifth-wicket stand between Iftikhar Ahmed (30) and Shadab.

Iftikhar pulled a slower short delivery straight to the hands of Ibrahim Zadran as the batter failed to get any elevation.

Mohammad Nawaz then took the crease and made his intentions clear by guiding another short delivery off Fareed past the wicketkeeper to the third man boundary.

But Shadab looked in ominous form as he slog-swept Rashid over the boundary to ease the pressure.

However, Rashid had the last laugh as he dismissed Shadab in the next ball with the batter thick-edging one to Azmatullah Omarzai at short-third man. But there was hardly any respite for Rashid as Asif Ali slog-swept him for another six in the very next ball.

Two wickets in the 18th over bowled by Fazalhaq Farooqi tilted the balance of the match in Afghanistan’s favour. He first dismissed Nawaz and then went through the defence of Khushdil Shah as Pakistan lost the plot.

With 11 needed from the final over, Naseem Shah showed his batting skills, smashing Fazalhaq Farooqi for back-to-back sixes to seal the match in Pakistan’s favour.

Brief scores: Afghanistan: 129 for 6 in 20 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 35; Haris Rauf 2/26); Pakistan: 131 for 9 in 19.2 overs (Shadab Khan 36, Iftikhar 30; Fazalhaq 3/31, Fareed 3/31)

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