Starting the outfit rehearsals for the 2023 Asian Cup edition in Sri Lanka on Tuesday, Babar Azam’s Pakistan crushed Afghanistan in the first One Day International (ODI) match of the three-match series at the International Stadium. Mahinda Rajapaksa. Co-hosting the continental tournament with former champions Sri Lanka, Babar’s Pakistan team will play their first ever bilateral series against Afghanistan in a natural venue.
Hit the first ball in the opening game at Hambantota, Babar and Co. Posted 201 out of 47.1 episodes. Leading the Afghan side’s bowling attack, Mujeeb Ur Rahman gave Pakistan captain Babar a three-ball duck in the first ODI. Mujeeb also played better than Mohammad Rizwan, who lost his life for 21 of 22 balls. The top scorer for Pakistan in the opening match of the three-match ODI series, Imam-ul-Haq scored an excellent 61 goals out of 94 balls.
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Shadab Khan’s 39-to-50-balls and Iftikhar Ahmed’s 30-ball knockdown lifted Pakistan to a subpar total of 201 in the 50-ball competition. For Afghanistan, Mohammad Nabi led 2-34 and Rashid Khan won two goals while Mujeeb returned 3 to 33 in 10 rounds. Leading the Blue Army counterattack, speed merchant Haris Rauf emerged as the pitcher’s pick in the low-scoring encounter.
Pakistan rewrites history in ODI . series opening
Pace ace Rauf recorded the best numbers of his career as Afghanistan ranked 59th in 19.2 rounds. Rauf pocketed 5 hits and leaked 18 runs as Afghanistan recorded the second-lowest total ODI. Rewrite history in over 50 format, Babar and Co. took their biggest win in the One Day International game where they were eliminated. Pakistan beat Afghanistan by 142 runs to take a 1-0 lead in a three-game series. Pakistan’s easy victory over Hashmatullah Shahidi and Co. It was also their biggest win at a neutral venue since the Blue Army overcame arch-rival India in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final.
‘Rauf’s magic changed the game’
“We lost points first and then Imam and Iftikhar played really well to get us a good total. We just tried to hit the ball long and create more dots in the power play. We all know what Shaheen can do with the new ball. The way Haris Rauf throws the ball, that spell changed the game. I always give my best (as hitter and captain) , sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, it happens in the game of cricket. We want to be positive,” Babar said after the match.
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