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Pakistan defeated Afghanistan in a thrilling contest to qualify for the finals of the ongoing Asia Cup 2022. The victory also eliminated both Afghanistan and India from the multi-team tournament. The Men in Green will now face Sri Lanka in the final fixture.
Chasing a paltry target of 130, Pakistan were in a spot of bother, losing two wickets for just 18 in 3.1 overs. Before the Afghans could add more pressure, Mohammad Rizwan (20) and Iftikhar Ahmed (30) partnered to stabilize the innings.
The duo added 27 runs for the third wicket before Rashid Khan dismissed the dangerous Rizwan. Ifthikhar and Shadab Khan formed another vital partnership for Pakistan of 42 runs for the fourth wicket, which took the team’s total to 87 before Fareed Ahmed removed Iftikhar.
The twist in the tail was waiting to greet Pakistan as Afghanistan picked up four more wickets in quick succession to reduce Pakistan to 118/9 with just 7 balls left in the contest. However, Naseem Shah, the 19-year-old sensation🐟, held his nerves and smashed two back-to-back sixes to get Pakistan home.
Earlier, Pakistan bowled brilliantly to restrict Afghanistan for just 129/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Pacer Haris Rauf picked up two wickets for 26 runs in his quota of 4 overs. All other bowlers, Naseem (1/19), Mohammad Hasnain (1/34), Mohammad Nawaz (1/23), an♌d Shadab (1/27), all bagged one scalꦛp each.
For Afghanistan, Ibrahim Zadran, with 35 from 37 deliveries featuring two fours and a s🐼ix, was their top scorer. Rashid played a cameo of unbeaten 18 from 15 balls to push his team’s total near 130.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
UNBELIEVABLE FINISH! 🤩
Pakistan are through to the Asia Cup final💪 |
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB)
This Asia Cup just cannot♏ stop delivering unღreal matches
— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket)
Naseem Shah👏🏻👏🏻💪💪💪💥💥💥.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi)
Defending champio🅘ns India out𝓀 of the Asia Cup 2022.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
Pakistan kill 2 birds with one stone:
Qualify for the final of the Asia Cup
And knock India out too— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket)
And we are through OFFICIALLY!
— Estelle Vasudevan (@Estelle_Vasude1)
What a game. What a fight. Afghan Atalan 👏👏👏
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals)
Asia Cup finalists in
2010 – IND🇮🇳 v SL🇱🇰
2012 – PAK🇵🇰 v BAN🇧🇩2014 – SL🇱🇰 v PAK🇵🇰
2016 – IND🇮🇳 v BAN🇧🇩2018 – IND🇮🇳 v BAN🇧🇩
2022 – PAK🇵🇰 v SL🇱🇰Finalists differen꧃t from the previous season in every alternate Asia Cups.
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats)
Did someone say Javed Miandad vs Dennis🌸 Lillee 😂😂 | |
&mda𝐆sh; 🏏Flashscor♏e Cricket Commentators (@FlashCric)
Feel for Afghanistan. They had come as close asಞ you can get. Had they won today they could have scripted a fairytale. They played their hearts out.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar)
Now huge 🍌pressure on T20 World Cup to match Asia Cup level.
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer)
This Asia cup has been amazing . Very under r𝓡ated tournament. Lot of Passion and great fan following. They should keep playing more of these tri and quadrangul𒉰ar tournaments. Always fun.
— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar)
