In a captivating display of cricket prowess, Afghanistan secured its third victory in the World Cup 2023, defeating the 1996 world champion, Sri Lanka, by a commanding 7-wicket margin. This remarkable triumph not only reinforced Afghanistan’s standing in the tournament but also solidified its reputation as a formidable competitor. The Afghan team has now vanquished three former champion teams this season, having previously emerged victorious against Pakistan and England.
As of the latest developments, Afghanistan stands tall with a perfect record of 6 points from 6 matches, firmly in contention for the coveted semi-finals. On the other hand, Sri Lanka finds itself teetering on the edge of elimination from the top 4, with only 4 points accumulated from their 6 matches.
The all-important toss favored Afghanistan, which elected to bowl first at Pune’s renowned cricket ground. Sri Lanka, taking their turn at the crease, managed to post a respectable total of 241 runs before being dismissed in 49.3 overs. In response, Afghanistan exhibited their batting prowess by successfully chasing down the target with three wickets to spare in just 45.2 overs.
Crucial innings were played by Afghanistan’s key players, with Azmatullah Omarzai contributing a stellar 73 runs, Rahmat Shah notching up a commendable 62 runs, and Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi adding a valuable 58 runs to the team’s tally. Opener Ibrahim Zadran also played a pivotal role, amassing 39 runs to his name. Prior to the thrilling chase, it was Fazalhaq Farooqui who shone with the ball, claiming four wickets, while Mujeeb ur Rehman secured two crucial wickets.
In a recent interview on the Dafa News Cricket Show, Zimbabwe’s national player and coach, Tasmin Granger, heaped praise on Rashid Khan’s remarkable achievements. Granger emphasized that Rashid Khan, in 2015, became the fourth player to reach the milestone of 100 ODIs for Afghanistan, quickly establishing himself as a linchpin in the team. With a remarkable 178 ODI wickets to his name, Rashid Khan now holds the record for the highest number of wickets taken by any bowler for Afghanistan, surpassing the likes of Mohammad Nabi (157) and Daulat Zadran (115).
Granger also commended Rashid Khan’s batting abilities, highlighting his impressive 1,267 runs in ODIs with an average of 19.19 and a strike rate of 105.40, including five half-centuries, with a top score of 60 not out.