HAMBANTOTA – Pakistan on Thursday narrowly escaped losing to Afghanistan in the 2nd ODI, which was played at Hambantota in Sri Lanka.
Chasing the 300-run target set by Afghanistan, Pakistan scored 302 runs in 49.5 overs at the loss of nine wickets.
Imam-ul-Haq top-scored with 91 in the Pakistan chase but it was a late Shadab Khan cameo (48, 35b) that allowed Pakistan to creep over the line after a flurry of middle-order wickets.
Fazalhaq Farooqi was the top wicket-taker for Afghanistan, and he was responsible for a moment of drama after running Shadab out at the non-strikers end during the last over.
Babar Azam scored a 66-ball 53, building a solid partnership with Imam to set Pakistan on its way.
Earlier in the day, Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored a run-a-ball 151, his fifth ODI hundred in 23 innings to take Afghanistan to 300/5 in 50 overs.
He was ably supported by opening partner Ibrahim Zadran who scored 80 of 101 balls but Babar’s side managed to edge the close contest and secure the series.
Shaheen Afridi managed to send Gurbaz packing, restricting the Afghan team from setting tougher target to chase. Mohammad Nabi made 29 runs while Hashmatullah Shahidi scored 15 as Afghanistan set 301 runs target for Pakistan.
Earlier, Afghanistan won the toss and decided to bat first.
???? T O S S A L E R T ????
Afghanistan win the toss and elect to bat first ????#AFGvPAK | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/tGVpo8FOJV
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 24, 2023
Babar Azam-led squad eyes extending gains in second ODI against Afghanistan as Team Green thrashed Afghanistan by massive 142 runs in the first ODI.
As the bowler certainly did the job, Pakistan’s batting raised eyebrows as top players including skipper Babar Azam were bundled out for 201.
Pakistan dismissed nine players of the opponent team for 59 runs in 19.2 overs while one of the player retired hurt. Five Afghan batters were removed for duck while only two could enter the double-digit score. Haris Rauf picked up five-fer. Shaheen Shah Afridi took two wickets while Naseem Shah and Shadab Khan claimed one wicket each.
Afghanistan’s Mujeebur Rahman took three wickets while Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi claimed two wickets each as they bowled out Pakistan in 47.1 overs.
Haris Rauf’s fiver-fer guides Pakistan to first ODI victory over Afghanistan
Pakistan Squad
Imam ul Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf/Mohammad Wasim Jr.
Afghanistan Squad
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Abdul Rahman, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi
