Afghanistan’s innings had a slow start, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz falling prey to his aggressive approach, losing his wicket. However, Afghanistan quickly gained momentum and dominated the game thereafter. Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah formed a strong partnership, specifically targeting debutant Matheesha Pathirana. They scored 17 runs in his second over and continued to excel throughout the match. Zadran showcased his aggressive batting, accumulating runs rapidly, while Shah provided steady support from the opposite end. Together, they forged a remarkable 146-run partnership. Unfortunately, Zadran narrowly missed out on a well-deserved century, falling just two runs short. Shah, on the other hand, achieved his half-century milestone. Eventually, both Shah and skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi departed, but Mohammad Nabi and Najibullah Zadran successfully guided Afghanistan to victory with several balls to spare.
Monday, December 23
