News Desk
Pic Credit: AFP
Needing 3 runs from 2 balls, Naseem Shah hit the winning boundary
Hambantota, 24 August: Pakistan won a thriller by one wicket with a ball to spare against Afghanistan after losing nine wickets in pursuit of 301 runs on a turning track in Hambantota on Thursday.
For Pakistan, Imam-ul-Haq (91) and skipper Babar Azam (53) made decent fifties while and Shadab Khan made 48 runs in 35 balls. But all other batters failed to make any serious impact on the match.
Left-arm Afghanistan bowler Farooqi (69/3) claimed three wickets to dent Pakistan while veteran Mohammad Nabi (46/2) took two crucial wickets. However, lead leg-spinner Rashid Khan (53/0) went wicket less on a surface on which the ball turned prodigiously. Mujeeb also bowled well (45/1) in his quota of 10 overs but Abdul Rahman leaked 81 runs in 10 overs.
Earlier, Afghanistan batted first and batted well. Opening pair of Gurbaz (151) and Zadran (80) put on 227-run partnership in 39.5 overs. Afghanistan made 300/5 in 50 overs.
Shaheen Afridi took two wickets while Naseem Shah and Usama Mir took a wicket each.
There was a controversial run out of Shadab Khan as Farooqi mankaded him when Pakistan needed 11 runs from 6 balls.
Pakistan have won the series 2-0 with one game to be played on 26 August.
In the first ODI, Pakistan won the game by 142 runs.
Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled hostile pace to defend 201 runs against Afghanistan in the first ODI of the three-match series in Sri Lanka. Haris Rauf was all guns blazing as he claimed a five-for (18/5) to play a pivotal role in bundling out Afghanistan for paltry 59 runs while chasing 202 in the allotted 50 overs.
Shaheen Afridi struck early taking wickets of opening batter Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah while Naseem Shah got an important wicket of the Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi. Ibrahim, Rahmat and Hashmatullah all got out for ducks.
Haris Rauf for his five-wicket haul was adjudged player of the match. He bowled a great spell in which he clocked 149 kmph.
Earlier, Pakistan batted first but lost Fakhar Zaman for just two runs and skipper Babar Azam for a rare duck. Imam-ul-Haq played sensibly for his 61-run knock from 94 balls before losing his wicket. Shadab Khan and Mohammad Rizwan contributed with important knocks of 39 and 21 respectively while Iftikhar Ahmed made 30.
For Afghanistan, Mujeeb took three wickets.
