Watch: England took two wickets in two balls after Afghanistan made a fast start in their 2023 World Cup clash in Delhi, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz disastrously run-out after making a rapid fifty.
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Gurbaz put England’s opening bowlers to the sword, hitting two sixes and six fours in the powerplay alone. By the middle of the 16th over, Afghanistan had reached 114-0, with Gurbaz on 75 and Ibrahim Zadran on a more sedate 28 off 47. In a good position to register a huge score, disaster struck for Afghanistan with the loss of three quick wickets.
Zadran tried to loft a floated delivery from Adil Rashid over midwicket, but wasn’t able to get enough elevation and picked out Joe Root at short midwicket. When Rashid came on for his next over, he bowled three dot balls first up before making another breakthrough.
He bowled a delivery which looped up outside off and drew new batter Rahmat Shah out of his crease and pushing at the ball which spun away sharply past his outside edge. Jos Buttler took the ball comfortably behind the stumps and whipped the bails off.
Things went from bad to worse for Afghanistan with the next ball, with Gurbaz run out to end his spectacular innings. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi played his first ball from Rashid into the leg-side and set off for a run. However, the ball had gone straight to sub-fielder David Willey who threw the ball to the keeper’s end.
Gurbaz was well short of his ground by the time Buttler had once again broken the stumps, and looked visibly frustrated that his captain had attempted the run. From 114-0, that wicket meant Afghanistan had fallen to 122-3.
Watch: England take two wickets in two balls as Gurbaz is run out, below
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