In a remarkable turn of events, Afghanistan continued their late surge for a coveted spot in the World Cup Semi-Finals with a commanding seven-wicket victory over the Netherlands in Lucknow. The win brings Afghanistan level with cricket powerhouses Australia and New Zealand, all standing at eight points, with only net run-rate currently separating them from a place in the top four.
Hashmatullah Shahidi emerged as the hero of the day, striking an unbeaten 56 as Afghanistan confidently chased down their target of 180 with an impressive 18.3 overs to spare. The Netherlands had earlier been dismissed for 179 inside 47 overs, thanks to an impressive three wickets from Mohammed Nabi and four scintillating run outs, setting the stage for a thrilling run chase.
Afghanistan faced early setbacks in their chase, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran falling cheaply, reducing the team to 55-2. However, they displayed great maturity in their approach, replicating their earlier successful chases against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Rahmat Shah contributed a crucial 52 in 54 balls, while Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai saw Afghanistan safely across the finish line, unbeaten on 56 and 31.
Afghanistan’s rise in this World Cup has been nothing short of miraculous. Prior to this tournament, they had only won a single match at a 50-over World Cup, having lost all nine matches in 2019. Now, they have won four out of seven matches, including their last three, showcasing their tremendous development and resilience.
Chief Scores:
Netherlands – 179 for 10 in 46.3 Overs (Sybrand Engelbrecht 58, Max O’Dowd 42, Colin Ackermann 29, Mohammad Nabi 3 for 28, Noor Ahmad 2 for 31, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 1 for 40)
Afghanistan – 181 for 3 in 31.3 Overs (Hashmatullah Shah 56*, Rahmat Shah 52, Azmatullah Omarzai 31*, Saqib Zulfiqur 1 for 25, Roelof van der Merwe 1 for 27, Logan van Beek 1 for 30)
