Pakistan vs Afghanistan: ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 – as it happened
All the updates as Afghanistan shock rivals Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India.
This blog is now closed. Thanks for joining us. These were the updates from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match between Pakistan and Afghanistan on October 23:
This blog is now closed. Thanks for joining us. These were the updates from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match between Pakistan and Afghanistan on October 23:
- Afghanistan pull of their second shock of the Cricket World Cup, with an eight-wicket victory over rivals Pakistan in Chennai, India.
- Chasing 283 to win, Afghanistan rode on the back of impressive innings from Ibrahim Zadran (87), Rahmat Shah (77 not out), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (65) and skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (48 not out) to reach their target with six balls to spare.
- After Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat, they made 282-7, with captain Babar Azam leading the scoring with 74 runs. Noor Ahmad starred for Afghanistan, taking 3-49.
- Pakistan started the World Cup with wins over the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, but the 1992 champions then suffered losses to India and Australia. Afghanistan pulled off a shock victory over defending champions England but have also slumped to three defeats.
- Live updates
- Match stats
- Lineups
That’s all from us tonight
Thank you for tuning in today, have a good evening. Catch you at the next one!
Babar: We are not playing good cricket
“We had a good total, but in bowling, we were not up to the mark because we weren’t taking wickets in the middle overs. In a World Cup, if you are not good even in one department, you lose. We started well while bowling, but we couldn’t take wickets,” Babar Azam said in his post-match interview.
“All credit to Afghanistan. We are not playing good cricket, [especially] in bowling and fielding. The pitch was helping the spinners even in the second innings. There was no pressure on their batsmen.”
Afghan captain Shahidi on’ professional’ win
“This win tastes nice. The way we chased today was very professional. We have been quality cricket from a couple of years. We will try our best to play positive cricket, and do a lot for our country,” captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said in his post-match interview.
“Today bowling was very good, especially spin bowling. We gave a chance to Noor, and he showed … The game was in our hands from the beginning till the end.”
Immense knock from Rahmat Shah
We talk about Afghanistan and we talk about spin. About defending like they did against England. But this, today, is an outstanding run-chase; one of the best in the tournament. Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran were outstanding but my star is Rahmat Shah for the calmness and maturity in…
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 23, 2023
A complete performance
As 🏴 fans did, 🇵🇰 fans will criticise much about their own side, but these have been two impressively complete performances from Afghanistan, today more so than 🏴.
Both simply been beaten by a better team on the day. #PAKvsAFG
— Danyal Rasool (@Danny61000) October 23, 2023
Zadran voted MOTM
The Afghani opener is adjudged the Man of the Match for his sparkling 87 in 113 balls. Him and Gurbaz created the platform from the chase. Half the game was won in the first 20 overs of the innings.
Take a bow, Afghanistan
They didn’t edge to victory here. They romped to it. At no point in this game were they out of control. A measured, mature performance from a team that will win hearts all over the world.
A proud nation with a win they can be proud of. A country seeped in emotion, a lot of it painful, took the sentiment out of the occasion and produced a win of steel and temerity.
Afghanistan beat Pakistan in the World Cup!
History.
48 overs: Afghanistan 279-2
Game, set and match?
Rahmat Shah smacks one over Hasan Ali’s head for six. History beckons for you, Afghanistan. You’re nearly there. What a chase. What a team.
Just four needed in 13 balls.
47 overs: Afghanistan 272-2
Rahmat Shah uses Shaheen Afridi’s pace and masterfully edges to third man for four. Eight runs from the over.
Just 11 needed from 18 balls for Afghanistan.
46 overs: Afghanistan 264-2
Shahidi comes down the track to Mir before sitting back and the ball balloons off his gloves and past Rizwan to the boundary.
“Luck favours the brave,” says Waqar Younis on the broadcast
Seven runs from that Mir over.
19 to win in 24 balls for Afghanistan
45 overs: Afghanistan 253-2
Afghanistan in cruise control. Rahmat and Shahidi seem to have ice in their helmets as they navigate this chase. It’s been a chance-less batting performance from Afghanistan, who are steadily moving towards a historic World Cup win.
44 overs: Afghanistan 248-2
Pakistan appeal for a caught behind of Shahidi. The umpire wants nothing to do with it, and Rizwan and Rauf consider referring it upwards but decide against it.
The tension in the Chepauk feels palpable. The crowd, which has been so loud all day, has quietened in concentration and expectancy.
Afghanistan have never beaten Pakistan in their seven ODI meetings. Will that change today?
43 overs: Afghanistan 237-2
Hashmatullah Shahidi brilliantly reverse sweeps Shadab Khan for four. It was momentarily airborne but no Pakistani fielder was close enough to take a catch.
The running between the wickets has been a feature of this Afghani chase. And again here, Shahidi and Rahmat Shah convert an easy single into a quick double. They are completely locked in.
42 overs. Afghanistan 229/2
Usama Mir is back into the attack as Babar continues the charge with spin.
Four runs from the over.
41 overs: Afghanistan 225 -2
Inexplicably, Shadab has been brought back into the attack.
Unsurprisingly, he’s dealt with with ease by Rahmat and Shahidi.
Four runs off the over.
40 overs: Afghanistan 221-2
Pakistan are getting desperate.
Two signs of that are seen in Shaheen’s over:
- They referred an LBW decision that was going MILES down leg-side.
- On the last ball of the over, Saud Shakeel dived at full stretch and acrobatically saved what was a certain boundary from Rahmat. Where was this level of commitment earlier in the innings?
39 overs: Pakistan 215-2
Haris Rauf is brought back into the attack (about time!) and goes for four runs.
68 in 66 balls needed.
38 overs: Afghanistan 211-2
Wow. Rahmat charges down the pitch and hits Hasan Ali for a six over his head. What a statement of intent, a show of strength that Afghanistan aren’t going to cower in this chase.
If they do go on to win from here, this shot will be looked back on as the moment that the game irreversibly escaped Pakistan
37 overs: Afghanistan 204-2
This is poor captaincy from Babar Azam. Persisting with Shadab Khan when the ball is reverse swinging is a headscratcher.
Shadab Khan, who has hardly troubled the Afghani batters, is hit for a couple of boundaries in his over – one by each of the batters.
36 overs: Afghanistan 195-2
A maiden over from Hasan Ali – how crucial will this over prove to be? He’s getting the ball to reverse.
This will build pressure on Afghanistan!
35 overs: Afghanistan 195-2
Iftikhar continues and goes for four runs.
The equation for Afghanistan: 88 runs in 89 balls.
34 overs: Afghanistan 191-2
That wicket changes things. Pakistan need to keep up their intensity and pile on the pressure on captain Hashmat Shahidi, the new batter in the middle. The run rate is still less than a run a ball, wickets will change this game.
Wicket! Zadran is out!
Hasan Ali generates good bounce from the surface and Zadran edges behind Rizwan for a straightforward catch. He departs for 87 in 113 balls.
33 overs: Afghanistan 189-1
Too easy for Afghanistan, who are chasing the total down in singles seemingly. Shadab Khan’s over is easily negotiated for four runs.