Pakistan beat spirited Afghanistan by seven wickets

Sharjah: Afghanistan bowed to Pakistan by seven wickets in their first historic match against a top cricketing nation. As a venue that has staged some of biggest clashes in One-Day cricket, Afghanistan’s big moment in cricket was also realised at this very stadium on Friday. Cheered by thousands of Afghanistan fans, they ushered their team into their first battle against Pakistan in a One-day match at the Sharjah Cricket stadium.

Playing adventurous shots and positive cricket, they announced that they are the world’s best rising nation. Afghanistan posted 195 runs against a formidable Pakistan attack.

Ironically, Pakistan’s star allrounder Shahid Afridi, who belongs to the Pasthun clan, an ethnic Afghan tribe, and also speaks Pushto, the language of the Afghanistan team, was their chief destroyer with 5 for 36.

Though Afghanistan picked the wickets of Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq and Imran Farhat before the 100 run mark, they could not dislodge the wickets the experienced batsmen Younus Khan and Misbah Ul Haq.

After Farhat hit 52 runs, Khan raced to his half century. Misbah Ul Haq who joined Haq put on an unbeaten 99 runs in 15.3 overs for the fourth wicket to ensure the victory in 37.1 overs. Dawlat Zadran was the pick among Afghanistan bowlers. He took two wickets while Samiullah Shenwari took the wicket of Farhat. Khan remained unbeaten on 70 and Haq unconquered on 40. Haq lifted the MMA Cup for the winners of this one-off one-day match.

Like in the early years when Sharjah hosted the famous India-Pakistan clashes, the stadium once again turned into a battlefield for the nearly 16,000 vociferous fans trying to outscore each other.

Tim Anderson, ICC’s Global Cricket Development manager, impressed by the huge turnout and enthusiasm among the fans, said: “It is one of those occasions when you walk into a ground and your hair stands up in the back of our neck. It looked like a final venue. This is undoubtedly a historic day as it is the first ever One- Day International where a full member nation plays an affiliate member.”

Afghanistan flags outnumbered Pakistan’s and every fan waved and cheered their every run from the start. So eager were these fans to see their team perform that they refused to be seated.

Zahid Noorani, Chief executive of the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series (CBFS) that hosted the maximum one-dayers in this venue, said: “The atmosphere is simply fantastic.” Interestingly, the Qasim Noorani Stand named after his father and the late president of CBFS was filled with maximum spectators.

England, who is gearing up for a One-day series against Pakistan, should have watched the Afghan batsmen for their sheer confidence and positive approach against the reputed Pakistan bowlers. Saeed Ajmal, who was England’s chief destroyer in Test series, went wicketless for 32 runs!

In the first four overs, Afghanistan scored 23 runs before Noor Ali Zadran got caught and bowled by Umar Gul for 9. This was followed by a 31-run partnership between Mohammad Shahzad and opener Karim Sadiq in just 4.4 overs, which literally brought down the roof of the stadium by the cheering fans. When Sadiq hit Gul effortlessly for a six over long on, the Afghan fans burst in joy. Even more spectacular was a reverse sweep by Shahzad off Saeed Ajmal for a six.

Shahzad, who scored half centuries against England for the ICC Associate and Affiliate Combined XI in the warm up match at the International Global Cricket Academy, hit a quick 20 off just 17 balls with three boundaries and a six before Shahid Afridi had him brilliantly caught by a leaping Asad Shafiq at point.

Afridi also ended skipper Nawroz Mangal’s 17 ball stay at the wicket for 11 runs by
hitting his stumps with a delivery which kept low. Sadiq hit his second six off Mohammad Hafeez over wide long on, but Afridi ended his innings too by having him caught by wicketkeeper Umar Akmal for 40 runs.

With Afridi later trapping Gulbodin Naib leg before, Afghanistan’s hope of a big score looked faded.

Then Mohammad Nabi took charge and hit Afridi for a huge six over long on to bring back cheer among the Afghan supporters. He also hit his second, and the fifth six of the match off Shoaib Malek over long- on. Together with Samiullah Shenwari, he put on 46 runs before he was run out for 37 off a brilliant throw from Younus Khan at mid- wicket. Afghanistan’s dream of posting a total over 200 just did not materialize.