Afghanistan made another surprise World Cup comeback against Pakistan by defeating them by eight wickets on Wednesday. A stunning 113-ball 87 from Ibrahim Zadran helped secure their success while an opening partnership of 130 runs between Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rahmanullah Gurbaz gave Afghanistan an early advantage.
Noor continues her performance with full outside off, pushed down to square leg. A single is performed. In this article, we will discuss about the top players of Pakistan National Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Timeline.
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq
Imam-ul-Haq, nephew of Inzamam-ul-Haq (who made history with a 194 against India in 1997) has enjoyed an outstanding domestic career. After making his ODI debut against Sri Lanka during 2017 series and making an immediate impact with an instant 100, Imam-ul-Haq made history again with another century on debut!
After scoring another hundred against Zimbabwe last month and being selected for the World Cup squad, he has not lived up to expectations thus far and was therefore dropped from his ODI team for this match against Afghanistan.
As both teams attempt to revive their World Cup campaigns, this match-up is of vital importance. The victor will advance to the semi-finals while its loser will face defeat and face an early departure home.
Pakistan are desperate to win their match in Chennai after suffering just one victory out of three matches so far. They have chosen to bat first, with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan set to open up for them, before spinners Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman may also feature as spinners, which both have made significant impacts throughout this tournament. How bowlers are deployed will be key; bowlers need to strike early wickets to keep opponents at bay, as well as establish an impressive total quickly.
Babar Azam
Babar Azam made a watchful 92-ball century as Pakistan emerged victorious against Afghanistan’s spinners after struggling earlier. The left-handed opener struck two sixes and five boundaries during an impressive innings which helped him surpass 3,000 ODI runs for Pakistan. Noor Ahmad, an 18-year-old leg-breaker from Afghanistan took three wickets in his debut World Cup match to hamper their efforts during middle overs play.
18-year-old left-arm wrist spinner Muhammad Azam took three key wickets – captain Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan and himself as he reduced them all to single figures – along with opening batsman Zaheer Abbas whom he caught off his pads in the 42nd over for one wicket each.
Azam Akmal is the cousin of both Akmal brothers and began his cricketing journey in Lahore. Since then, he has rapidly progressed through age group cricket representing Pakistan at both an Under-15 world championship and two Under-19 World Cups.
Strong performances at the 2016 ICC Trophy cemented his place among Pakistan’s premier batsmen. A hard-hitting left-hander who can also rotate the strike, Fazal is one of Pakistan’s premier run scorers and capable of scoring big hundreds. Now in World Cup 2019, Fazal will look to make an impression as his nation aims to capture an ICC trophy trophy for themselves.
Mohammad Rizwan
Mohammad Rizwan is an exceptional Pakistan batsman with an in-depth understanding of the game. An integral member of both T20I and ODI squads, Mohammad is renowned as an effective match winner who can create vital partnerships. Furthermore, his reliable middle-order hitting in ODI matches ensures he could remain part of their lineup for many years to come.
He is known for his impressive shot-making and can often score big runs in T20I and ODI cricket matches, drawing great acclaim from Pakistan franchises he has represented before and currently captaining Multan Sultans. Highly respected player across Pakistan, his performance at the World Cup earned him immense respect from fans around the globe.
Cricket has played an instrumental role in sparking tensions between India and Pakistan for decades; during Pakistani President Mohammad Zia ul-Haq’s 1987 visit to India for “cricket diplomacy”, India hosted Pakistan to watch their match; since then both countries have faced each other regularly on international cricket venues before massive audiences; political tensions as well as disputes over Kashmir are driving these animosities further apart and fans from both sides clash frequently during matches attended by large audiences.
Shaheen Afridi
Shaheen Afridi is one of Pakistan’s most exciting fast bowlers. His towering height gives him an edge on the pitch and his ability to swing the ball from both sides makes him a dangerous threat; plus his batting skills add another element of value for his team.
Afridi enjoyed an impressive World Cup campaign, becoming joint highest wicket-taker. Additionally, his contribution helped Pakistan reach both semi-finals and finals of ICC Champions Trophy. As an integral member of Pakistan’s side, Afridi will look to carry on his strong performance against Afghanistan.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have a longstanding sporting rivalry that is marked by political tension. Both teams have met three times at International Cricket Council tournaments and they’re set to meet once more this year.
The PCB has made several adjustments to their squad for the inaugural Test match, including several debutants and experienced players. All-rounder Amir Jamal and right-arm fast bowler Khurram Shahzad will make their Test debuts, with two pace bowlers from Pakistan Super League providing additional depth in its bowling attack. These players hope to build upon their impressive T20 World Cup performances to make an effective start in Test cricket.
Hasan Ali
Hasan Ali is a fast bowler who has earned the moniker “star in the making.” His bowling technique combines pace with trickery, often surprising batsmen by altering its pace on short run-ups. Ali impressed in 2019 Pakistan Super League while still searching for his place within national squads.
Pakistan remains one of the premier teams in world cricket, but they’ve recently found themselves struggling. Their batting has been subpar and lack depth. Still, Pakistan boast some of the finest players around and they are looking to recover their form quickly.
India and Pakistan’s centuries-old rivalry is an ongoing source of tension. Both nations have battled each other at international tournaments like the World Cup. Cricket diplomacy was even proposed by former Pakistani President Mohammad Zia ul-Haq as an effective means of defusing tensions between neighbors.
India and Pakistan’s rivalry has only intensified over recent years. Political tensions between them have prevented bilateral matches between them from taking place; yet both continue to participate in International Cricket Council and Asian Cricket Council tournaments, showing how cricket can serve as a powerful form of diplomacy.
Shadab Khan
Shadab Khan, one of Pakistan’s key members during the COVID-19 pandemic, made his international debut for Pakistan against West Indies on 26 March 2017; unfortunately his side lost both matches during that series.
He returned for his second match but soon lost his wicket to Hafeez Azhar’s impressive catch off Mohammad Rizwan. But the following year, he scored an unbeaten fifty in Zimbabwe during their second ODI.
But his debut in Test arena really brought him to prominence. After just playing one Twenty20 international, he was called up for two-match Test series against England where he scored half-century.
He provided an electrifying display in both innings of the series, yet an inconsistent final Test ended his hopes of taking home victory. Meanwhile, his impressive form in ODIs earned him selection to the 2021 World Cup squad.
Rashid Khan comes on to bowl and takes two singles quickly before Ibrahim charges forward to defend, then hits one for four! A single follows before they cross 200 for the first time ever! An astounding achievement by all Afghan ODI cricketers; Ibrahim and Rahmat made sure this started well! A fantastic start by Ibrahim and Rahmat!
Also Read: pakistan national cricket team vs ireland cricket team match scorecard
