World Cup: Afghanan make a statement with clinical performance, Pakan fall flat to put campaign in crisis | Cricket-world-cup News

Nearly 24 years after Pakan had their moment in Chennai, it was Afghanan’s turn to get a standing ovation from Chepauk. They might have come into the game as underdogs, but from the time this fixture was scheduled at the venue — known to suit their strength with spin – Afghanan would have fancied their chances. And when the day arrived, the eight-wicket win – their first against Pakan – didn’t seem like an upset. If anything, it was a statement, that after beating England earlier in the World Cup, Afghanan once again showed they are not pushovers.
As they went on a celebratory run, Mikail, a four-year old from Kabul joined them in the victory lap, refusing to go back to his family. Their proud coach Jonathan Trott brought him to the press conference later. At the stands, hundreds of Afghanan fans were dancing, staying back till their team left the stadium.
Standing tall in Afghanan’s biggest moment in the World Cup were their spinners. Once their fab four did the job of restricting Pakan to 282/7, it was the turn of their batsmen led Ibrahim Zadran to finish the job in the most thrilling fashion. There was an air of confidence in whatever the Afghans did on the day, and they even successfully managed to keep their emotions under check against their biggest rival.
Not even when the game appeared to drift away at the start with the ball, did they panic. Instead, with Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan choking Pakan in the middle overs, left-arm wr-spinner Noor Ahmad – the youngest of the four – stood out with a three-wicket haul.
Beyond Nabi, Rashid and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor has already shown at the IPL that he is the next big thing coming out of Afghanan. And playing his first World Cup match, he showed how ready he was. When Babar Azam was beginning to cut loose, it was Noor who put an end card. “I knew he would come hard at me so I wanted to avoid bowling full deliveries. And once he hit me, I just focused on using my variations,” he would say later, about the googly that fetched him Babar.

For a batting unit that has crumbled when put under pressure, they were in punishing mood all through the evening, playing shots at will, being smart in running between the wickets, and showing the maturity to seize control of the game whenever Pakan threatened to come back.
This defeat will sting Pakan. With two wins from five matches, their campaign seems to be heading for a quick finish. Each game from here on becomes a must-win. But going how they went about the evening under lights, where their bowling — considered their biggest suit – appeared toothless, any chance of Cornered Tigers 2.0 looks impossible.
If defeats against India and Australia made them search for answers, this one against Afghanan will need plenty of soul-searching. Not once with the ball did Pakan look like they could defend. At the innings break, chasing 283 sans dew, Afghanan head coach Jonathan Trott’s message to their batsmen was simple: “You have to bat the 50 overs and don’t get over-excited.”Most Read
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With all the focus on Rahmanullah Gurbaz, it was Zadran who put Pakan in all sorts of trouble. As Pakan attacked Gurbaz, Zadran teed off with back-foot punches, drives and cuts. Unlike the rest of his globetrotting teammates, he has featured only in the Bangladesh Premier League, but the 21-year-old already has four centuries in ODIs. From the first over, where he got off the mark with an elegant cover-drive, he flowed like a calm river. When Haris Rauf conceded four boundaries of his first over to Gurbaz, wheels began to come off for Pakan in the first powerplay.
With their new-ball bowlers proving ineffective again, a lot depended on their two spinners Shadab Khan and Usama Mir. On the same pitch where Afghanan’s tweakers found bite, the duo were flat and were put under early pressure Gurbaz and Zadran. Pakan’s attack was neutralised as early as the 20th over as Afghanan had 128 on board without losing a wicket.
Though Gurbaz would perish soon, Zadran and Rahmat Shah would ensure Pakan would not come back. They didn’t shut shop, instead went for boundaries that deflated their opponents. It was Shah’s measured innings to go with Zadran’s that shut all the doors for Pakan’s re-entry. Shahidi came in at No 4 to ensure there were no tws and turns as Afghanan coasted.