NEW DELHI: In the wake of a remarkable upset victory over their rivals Pakistan, Afghanistan's captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, has set his sights on achieving more such triumphs in their ongoing campaign at the ODI World Cup.
Afghanistan left the cricketing world and pundits in awe by securing their second surprise victory in the World Cup, and, notably, their first-ever win over Pakistan in 50-over cricket. Their astonishing victory was built on a dazzling all-round performance, leaving Pakistan stunned with an eight-wicket defeat on a challenging Chennai pitch on Monday.
The opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz (65) and Ibrahim Zadran (87), along with Rahmat Shah's unbeaten 77 at No. 3, played pivotal roles with the bat, propelling Afghanistan to a historic win.
Chasing a target of 283 on a Chennai pitch known for its uneven bounce, Afghanistan displayed their mettle, achieving the victory with an over to spare. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Hashmatullah Shahidi commended his team's professional approach in the chase.
"A win against Pakistan tastes nice. The way we chased down the target...it was very professional. We are looking forward to the other games. We believe that we can pull off similar chases in the other matches as we go forward. We can do it again," Shahidi said, expressing his confidence in his team's abilities.
He highlighted the quality of cricket Afghanistan has been playing in recent years and their unwavering belief in their abilities, referring to their performance in the Asia Cup. Shahidi added that his teammates were eager to showcase their skills, play positive cricket, and secure more wins in the tournament.
Afghanistan has now notched up victories against two cricketing powerhouses – former world champions Pakistan and the defending champions England, catapulting them to the sixth position on the points table.
"At the start of the tournament, I said we want to make it historic for our country and fellow Afghans. We beat England, the reigning world champions, and then followed it up with a victory over Pakistan. We are eagerly looking forward to our other games. We'll try our best to play positive cricket in this World Cup and bring some joy to people back home," Shahidi added.
World Cup: Afghanistan send Pakistan crashing to shock defeat
He also lavished praise on 18-year-old spinner Noor Ahmad, who emerged as the standout performer among the bowlers for Afghanistan, claiming three crucial wickets. Shahidi emphasised Noor's outstanding talent and skills on the world stage and commended the opening pair of Gurbaz and Ibrahim for providing momentum and confidence to the team.
The high-flying Afghan team is scheduled to take on Sri Lanka in their next match on October 30 at the high-scoring Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
(With inputs from ANI)The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
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