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 T20 World Cupꦫ 2021 and p🍨ut them on course for the semifinals.
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. Bu🙈t Asif changed the dynamics with four big sixes as Pakistan secured their third successive win with si💝x balls 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 Afghanistan recov꧋ered from the early jolts given by Pakistan.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
I had seen Asiꦆf Ali a few t🔴imes before 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 of 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 𒉰innings! The finisher!!
— Alexandra Hartley (@AlexHartley93)
Dealt the heaviest of blows – couldn’t be happier for Asif Ali
— Isa Guha (@isaguha)
You beauty . Congratulations boys. Another bril💦liant knock by 👏
— Umar Gul (@mdk_gul)
Asif Ali has won yet another game with his big h😼itting
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang)
What a knock!! ♓ 👏🏼Proud of this team and the way they have been performing in thi๊s mega event Alhamdulillah! Congrats everyone on the 3rd consecutive win 🎉
— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki)
That’s exceptiona✱l finishing skills from Asif Ali! Some player that.. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
— Jaydev Unadkat (@JUnadkat)
Asif Ali👀👀👀👀👀
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi)
