Highlights Pakistan vs Afghanistan: Pakistan beat Afghanistan by a wicket to qualify for Asian Cup final, India out of action | Cricket News

SHARJA: Naseem Shah it probably reached the two most important sixes for protecting Pakistan’s ego on a Wednesday night that broke millions of Afghan hearts and knocked India out of the Asian Cup. Naseem’s heavy blows may not match Javed Miandad’s last six-ball by Chetan Sharma from 1986, it would hurt Indian fans just as much.
India’s fate in the tournament hung on an Afghanistan victory and Afghan bowlers, spitting fire into the cauldron of Sharjah cricket stadium, nearly went through Pakistan’s batting lineup as they defended 129/7 before Naseem closed the agreement in the first two balls of the over final launched by Fazalhaq Farooqi. Naseem’s successes captured a thriller for Pakistan with just a lone wicket. This win booked a place in the final for Pakistan alongside Sri Lanka, making the next two Super 4 games irrelevant.
How it happened: Pakistan vs Afghanistan
When the Pakistani team returned to the locker room after limiting Afghanistan to a modest 129/7, they would have imagined clearing the slopes with consummate ease. At the start of the final six overs of the match, spirits on the pitch began to fly and the stadium transformed into a deafening arena for events. Asif Ali charging Fareed Ahmad with his bat after being sent off for a short leg in the 19th over was just one example of the tension in the night.

Afghan Fareed Ahmad, left, and Pakistani Asif Ali, right, react after Ali is fired by Ahmad. (Photo AP)
The buzz here at Sharjah Cricket Stadium was far greater than what would have happened in India at the end of the night. It became a battle of egos when an Afghan-dominated crowd thronged the stadium.
Afghanistan, as is often the case, was scary at the top of the inning when Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz got them off to a great start, scoring 36 points in 3.5 overs. The extra pace of fast Pakistani bowls players, on a pitch that resembled a sheet of glass, seemed to work in Afghanistan’s favor as they began exploiting short borders.

The pitch itself looked like glass dust at the end of the match and Afghan bowlers began to weave a stranglehold on Pakistani hitters from the second ball of the inning when Farooqi trapped captain Babar Azam right in front of the stumps.
Farooqi (3/31) and left arm pacer partner Fareed Ahmad (3/31) supported Rashid Khan (25/02) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (12/0) immaculate spells just for Naseem to ruin their party.
However, Pakistan’s offense is too well seasoned to be exploited by a batting formation that has yet to reach a premium standard in international cricket. Soon, the extra pace became too hot for Afghanistan’s inexperienced hitters to handle. And then the spinners Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan walked in and smothered them.
The Pakistani trio of Naseem Shah (1/19), Mohammad Hasnain (1/34) and Haris Rauf (2/26) decided to turn up the heat as a soothing breeze swept the ground. They started delivering the heavy balls, hitting the hard length and relentlessly attacking the stumps. As a result, Zazai, Gurbaz and skipper Mohammad Nabi were all impressed.
Ibrahim Zadran, someone identified from Afghanistan, to anchor their innings showed glimpses of his talent that cannot be ignored. Even though he tried to rebuild, the pressure increased on the other side. His partners Karim Janat and Najibullah Zadran, in charge of increasing the run-rate, were left suffocated by Shadab and Nawaz. They both died trying to erase the straight boundary.
Although Ibrahim stopped for his 35 out of 37, the big success never came. He was Afghanistan’s greatest Rashid Khan to land a couple of vigorous blows in the last one on Rauf which gave them a remote chance to turn things around with the ball.