Asif Ali scored an unbeaten 25 runs off just 7 balls to power Pakistan to a five-wicket victory over Afghanistan in Match 24 of T2ꦏ0 World Cup 2021 and put them on course for the ꦯsemifinals.
Afghanistan looked to take the game away from Pakistan after setting a total of 147/6 and restricting their scoring for much of the reply. But Asif changed the dynamics with four big sixes as Pakistan secured their third successive win with six b🔯alls remaining.
His heroics were needed as, although skipper Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman made 51 and 30, respectively, the rest of Pakistan’s batters had struggled to find a rhythm. Mohammad Rizwan departed for eight while Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik scored just 10 and 19.
Batting first, Mohammad Nabi and Gulbadin Naib made 35 not out each and Najibullah Zadran added 22 as Afghanista▨n recovered from the early jolts given by✨ Pakistan.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
I had seen Asif Ali a few times befor🌃e and thought he was a powerful batsman. But this level of hitting is insane.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
Asif Ali you beauty!!!
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph)
Remember the name
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38)
Asif Ali showed lot 𓆏of confidence by refusing single on the last ball and finishing it in style by hitting those four big 6 in the 🙈next over .. clean and powerful hitter 👍
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh)
Sensational Asif Ali 😲😳
— Carlos Brathwaite (@CRBrathwaite26)
Asif Ali⛄… take a bow!! What an unbelievable innings! The finisher!!
— Alexandra Hartley (@AlexHartley93)
Dealt the heaviest of blows – couldn’t be happier for Asif Ali
— Isa Guha (@isaguha)
You beauty . Congratulatio▨ns boys. Another brilliant knock by 💃👏
— Umar Gul (@mdk_gul)
Asif Ali has won yet ano💖ther game with his big hitting
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang)
What a knock!! 👏🏼Proud of this team and the 💎way they have been performing in this mega event 𓄧Alhamdulillah! Congrats everyone on the 3rd consecutive win 🎉
— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki)
That’s exceptional finish🍰ing skills from Asif Ali! Some player that.. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
— Jaydev Unadkat (@JUnadkat)
Asif Ali👀👀👀👀👀
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi)
