Pakistan pulled off a jailbreak in the second ODI against Afghanistan on August 24, securing a one-wicket win over them, and going 2-0 up in the series.
It was an encore from their 2022 Asia Cup encounter as Naseem Shah hit the winning runs and roared in celebration. Call it eerie or coincidence, Hasan Ali prophesied the entire outcome with pinpoint exactness.
Chasing 301, Pakistan were in cruise control in the second ODI when skipper Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq steadied the ship with a partnership of 118 runs for the second wicket. With the score being 170-2 after Azam departed for 53(66), the middle order fell like a pack of cards owing to some tight bowling by the defending team.
The ‘Men in Green’ slipped to 211-6 when all-rounders Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed were at the crease. The latter went back to the pavilion soon but Shadab ensured that his team stayed in the hunt.
Cut to the final over, when 11 runs were required with two wickets left. Bowling the last over, left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi added his bit to the drama. He ran out Shadab in his bowling stride as the latter was trying to snatch a single at the non-striker’s end before Farooqi completed his bowling action. Shadab returned to the dugout for a quickfire 48 off 35 balls along with his side’s hopes but 20-year-old Naseem had some other plans.
Pakistan speedster Hasan Ali did a Jofra Archer as he predicted the outcome of the sub-continental thriller over a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The tailender struck the winning runs with a ball to spare, ensuring Pakistan’s series win and Ali’s words to come true. Shah took off in celebration, throwing away his kit to the ground with force, a scene similar to his last year’s heroics.
‘Player of the tournament’ in Pakistan’s 2017 Champions Trophy triumph, Ali is currently recovering from a finger injury picked up during the 2023 Lanka Premier League semi-final. Donning finalists Dambulla Aura’s colours, he took eight wickets from five games at an average of 16.12 and an economy of 6.79.
Here’s the social media post of Hasan Ali’s mysterious prophecy on Nasaeem Shah:
I can smell it will be edge for 4 runs and we will win
— Hassan Ali 🇵🇰 (@RealHa55an) August 24, 2023
