COLOMBO – A collective bowling effort after Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s half-centuries, led Pakistan to the highest of the ODI Rankings with a clear sweep victory within the PAK vs AFG ODI sequence.
Set to chase 269 within the third ODI, Afghanistan might solely increase 209 regardless of Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s brisk half-century. The hosts obtained off to a dismal begin to the pursuit as they misplaced their in-form batters Rahmanullah Gurbaz (5) and Ibrahim Zadran (0) within the 10th over with simply 30 runs on the board.
Afghanistan’s new opener Riaz Hassan was then joined by captain Hashmatullah Shahidi and the pair raised 30 runs for the third-wicket stand. Riaz scored a cautious 34 off 66 deliveries whereas Shahidi scored a 31- ball 13. Afghanistan then misplaced three extra wickets in fast succession and slipped to 97/7 in 32.1 overs with each Mohammad Nabi (3) and Rashid Khan (16) again into the dugout.
Popping out to bat at No 9, Mujeeb Ur Rahman launched a counterattack on the Pakistan bowlers with belligerent hitting. He placed on an astonishing 57- run partnership with Shahidullah to maintain Afghanistan within the hunt. Mujeeb dominated his eighth-wicket stand with Shahidullah by scoring the majority of the runs whereas the latter fell sufferer to Shadab Khan within the 40th over. Shahidullah struck two boundaries on his method to a 65-ball 37.
Mujeeb added 45 runs for the ninth-wicket stand with Fareed Ahmad earlier than lastly perishing within the 46th over. He top-scored for Afghanistan with a fastfireplace 37-ball 64. Shaheen then wrapped a dominant 59-run victory for Pakistan as he castled Fareed (17) within the penultimate over. Shadab led the bowling assault for Pakistan with 3/42 whereas Shaheen, Faheem and Nawaz bagged two every.
Opting to bat first, the inexperienced shirts accumulated 268/eight behind anchoring half-centuries by Babar and Rizwan. Pakistan’s opening pair of Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq failed to supply a stable begin. Fakhar scored 27 off 33 deliveries whereas Imam struck 13. With the facet reeling at 52/2 in 12.5 overs, Babar Azam was joined by Mohammad Rizwan and each added 110 runs amid their cautious stand with each scoring half-centuries earlier than Rashid Khan offered a much-needed breakthrough to Afghanistan, dismissing the Pakistan captain.
He smashed 4 boundaries and a six on his method to an 86-ball 60. Pakistan then misplaced 4 fast wickets, together with their mainstay M Rizwan, and slipped to 189/6 in 41 overs. Rizwan remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with a 79-ball 67 which featured six boundaries and a six. M Nawaz and Salman Ali Agha then stitched a significant 61-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Nawaz scored a brisk 25-ball 30 whereas Agha hammered a 31- ball 38. Fareed Ahmad and Gulbadin Naib bagged two wickets every for Afghanistan