"VAN" (Sports Desk - 28.03.2023) :: Team Afghanistan showcased another impressive performance to beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the second Twenty20 international and take a 2-0 lead in the three-match series in Sharjah.
Afghanistan team outperformed Pakistan, one of the top-six ranked ICC teams on Sunday night in the UAE and registered a landmark series win over their arch-rival Pakistan.
Pakistan chose to bat first but their inexperienced top-order again disappointed before recalled Imad Wasim smashed an unbeaten 64 off 57 balls and captain Shadab Khan made 32 to increase the final total to 6-130.
Pakistan captain Shadab Khan confessed his side’s young players were not quite in control of the game as they lost three wickets in the powerplay. “When you lose three wickets in the powerplay, you lose 70 percent of the games. The young players were nervous,” Shadab said.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (44) and Ibrahim Zadran (38) led Afghanistan’s chase before Najibullah Zadran (23 not out) and Mohammad Nabi (14no) guided their team to 3-133 with a ball to spare.
Nabi hit his first boundary off his 27th ball and then hit two more in the next over from Naseem Shah before sealing the win with a six off Ihsanullah.
“It was a tough score to chase in these conditions,” said Nabi after being named man of the match. According to experts, Nabi’s performance against Pakistan has been outstanding as he helped his side to bag back-to-back wins against team Pakistan.
“With the bat, I wanted to take responsibility and close the game. Most of the guys in our squad are playing big leagues, some have been here in the UAE for 15 days. So we were set. Thirty-eight on this wicket can feel like a hundred,” Nabi said.
Social media, Twitter in particular has gone wild following Afghanistan’s first-ever series win over Pakistan, one of the strongest ICC teams. Many praises the Afghanistan team’s outstanding performances, while others attribute the win to inexperienced Pakistani young players who are new to their national team.
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