Cricket: Cricket-Pakistan win Afghan thriller to shut in on semis berth

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DUBAI (Reuters) -Pakistan put one foot within the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup after Asif Ali’s scintillating power-hitting secured their nervy five-wicket victory towards Afghanistan within the Tremendous 12 stage of the event on Friday.

The 2009 champions restricted neighbours Afghanistan to a modest 147-6 in a match between the highest two groups in Group II at Dubai Worldwide Stadium.

Skipper Babar Azam anchored Pakistan’s chase with a fluent 51 nevertheless it was Asif who smashed 4 sixes within the penultimate over from Karim Janat to clinch the see-saw contest with six balls to spare.

Having overwhelmed India and New Zealand of their first two matches, Pakistan are successfully within the final 4 with clashes towards minnows Namibia and Scotland remaining.

“Afghanistan have a number of the finest spinners, they had been getting a variety of assist and bowling rather well,” Babar stated.

“I wished to remain until the tip however acquired out sadly. So credit score to Asif Ali.

“Asif has performed many such innings on the Pakistan Tremendous League. I used to be very assured he’d get us out of any bother,” Babar added.

Earlier, Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi repeatedly hit Hazratullah Zazai’s pad after Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi elected to bat.

Pakistan blew a overview making an attempt to get Zazai lbw however went on to wreck Afghanistan’s prime order to cut back them to 39-4 within the sixth over.

Haris Rauf took a superb tumbling catch within the second over to ship again Zazai after which caught Asghar Afghan off his personal bowling.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz practically ran himself out after a mix-up with Afghan however couldn’t capitalise on the reprieve and Afghanistan misplaced the highest half of their batting order even earlier than the midway stage of their innings.

Nabi and Gulbadan Naib got here to Afghanistan’s rescue placing equivalent unbeaten 35s to lend some respectability to their complete.

“We did not begin rather well, the whole on the board was respectable however perhaps not sufficient,” Nabi stated after their first lack of the event.

“There are various positives to take from this match. We fought to the tip and it is given us extra motivation to win video games.”

Pakistan misplaced Mohammed Rizwan early of their reply however Babar and Fakhar Zaman (30) mixed to shave off half the goal.

Babar, then on 36, was adjudged lbw to Rashid Khan however the Pakistan skipper efficiently reviewed the choice which was overturned.

Fakhar was not so fortunate and fell lbw to Nabi within the subsequent over blowing a overview in his bid to lengthen his keep.

Rashid (2-26) dismissed Mohammad Hafeez and Babar to inject contemporary drama into the competition however the Afghans, who dropped two late catches, didn’t ramp up stress.

Pakistan wanted 24 runs off the final two overs and Asif sealed the victory with an incendiary 25 not out off simply seven balls, which additionally earned him the man-of-the-match award.

Greater than 1000 ticketless Afghan followers tried to forcibly enter the stadium for the match and had been thwarted by the native police.

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in Dubai; modifying by Pritha Sarkar)



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