Afghanistan’s Ghafari push UAE to huge defeat
Leg-spinner takes five wickets, following six-wicket haul against South Africa
Dubai: UAE bowed to the tight bowling of Afghanistan’s leg-spinner Shafiqullah Ghafari and lost by 160 runs in their second match of the ICC Under-19 World Cup match at the North West University Oval ground in Potchefstroom.
Afghanistan won the toss and posted an impressive 265 for 6 in 50 overs but UAE were bowled out for 105 in 32.4 overs. Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran hit 87 while Rahmatullah scored 79. Karthik Meiyappan took two wickets for 49.
UAE began their chase well with opener and skipper Aryan Lakra and Vriitya Anand putting on 61 for the first wicket in 17.1 overs. Lakra, on 28, got run out. Jonathan Figy, who hit a century against Canada, got bowled by Ghafari for a duck. Ghafari also trapped Anand leg before for 19. None of the other batsmen rose to the challenge with only Mohammad Frazuddin reaching double figures scoring 11 runs. Ghafari returned with figures of 5 for 23. He had also picked 6 for 15 in his team’s win over South Africa.