Watch: Shaheen Shah Afridi broke Afghanistan’s opening partnership with his first ball back into the attack, enticing a top-edge from Rahmanullah Gurbaz to get Pakistan’s first wicket in the 22nd over of the innings.
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Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran had given Afghanistan the best possible start in their chase of 283. Both registered half-centuries, and they put on 128 runs between them in the first 20 overs.
While Zadran was more circumspect, Gurbaz was the aggressor. He reached fifty off 38 balls, and hit the first six of the innings a couple of overs later with a 90 metre monster off Iftikhar Ahmed. Desperate to break the partnership, Babar Azam turned back to his strike-bowler in Shaheen for the 22nd over. Shaheen’s first spell wasn’t as effective as usual at the start of the innings. He conceded 20 runs off four overs and was unable to make an early breakthrough.
He put that right straight away when he came back into the attack, however. Banging the ball short into the pitch, Gurbaz attempted a pull shot. But he was only able to get a thick top edge which flew down to the third man boundary.
Usama Mir ran round from deep backward point and took a tumbling catch in front of the boundary rope. Despite breaking the partnership, Afghanistan continued to make steady progress towards the target, with Zadran moving towards a first World Cup century.
Watch: Shaheen Shah Afridi dismisses Rahmanullah Gurbaz
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