The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
That brings us to the end of the coverage for the 2nd ODI. What a cliffhanger. This is not the first time Afghanistan and Pakistan have played out a blinder and nor it will be the last. Pakistan somehow managed to keep their unbeaten record against Afghanistan intact. We will be back in a day for the final encounter. For now, this is myself (Arya Sekhar Chakraborty) signing off also on behalf of my close mate and fellow commentator Rajarshi Das. Goodnight! Cheers!
Babar Azam (Pakistan captain): To be honest, it was an exceptional game. We had a similar scenario in the Asia Cup. Credit to the boys for holding onto their nerves. When we started batting we just wanted to build partnership. Me and Imam were trying to build a partnership and see what happens at the 40th. Likes of Shadab and Iftikhar I had faith in them. Naseem Shah has been superb and what a performance. Look always we have to improve in cricket. You cannot be satisfied. When you are in the pitch you see different qualities of bowling and play your natural game. Backing youself and believe in yourself is very important. Yes we are looking forward to the last point. We will try to enjoy and carry the momentum in the last match and win it.
Hashmatullah Shahidi (Afghanistan captain): Yes it's hurting because we had enough runs. At the last moment they took it away from us. The 49th over from Abdul Rahman he bowled two easy deliveries and that was the changing point of the game. The openers are playing exceptionally well for the last 2 years. I want them to continue the same approach. I think both teams are good sides. We couldn't quite hold our nerves and ended up losing it.
Shadab Khan is the Player Of The Match! Here's what he has to say: When you are a senior player, you go through these stages repeatedly, sometimes you fail and sometimes you succeed. I think today was my day, and I tried to be as calm as possible. Their team had world-class bowlers, I tried to see them off and take on the fast bowlers. The boundaries are long, it's easier to score ones and twos. The plan was to go for twos when Naseem came in, and grab the odd ball. After that shot against Zimbabwe, we lost that game. I kept blaming myself after that. That was a crucial moment, I was thinking we were out of the tournament. I made up my mind not to play that shot ever again.
Time for the post match presentation ceremony with Ramiz Raja.
It was a heart shattering moment for Afghanistan when Naseem hit those winning runs but take nothing away from Afghanistan. They were the superior team for the majority of the match. They made crucial breakthroughs and none more important than the wicket of Babar Azam. Read 👇 to find out more on that dismissal.
Pakistan won by 1 wicket (with 1 delivery to spare)
Imam Ul Haq 91(104) | Shaheen Afridi 2/58(10) Rahmanullah Gurbaz 151(151) | Fazalhaq Farooqi 3/69(9.5)
What a game! Yet again it is Naseem Shah who breaks the hearts of Afghanistan as the final delivery runs away for a boundary. He has literally shattered the game and this time with the bat. So much similar to the Asia Cup 2022 and Pakistan still remains unbeaten against Afghanistan. Dejection for Afghanistan. This is the first time Pakistan have chased down 300+ score in an ODI with just one wicket left. A thrilling contest comes to an as Pakistan somehow manages to win the 2nd ODI by 1 wicket to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the 3-match series.
Pakistan needed to get off to a good start if they harboured hopes of chasing down the stiff target of 301. It was a fluent start for the Men in Green after surviving a few close shaves in the first few overs. Fakhar gained in confidence and went on to smash 5 boundaries during his knock of 30 which came in 34 deliveries. Imam batted cautiously up front like does most of the time and tried to bat through the innings. It was Fazalhaq Farooqi who brought about the downfall of Fakhar as he jagged one back to the left-hander and rattled his stumps. Out came Babar Azam and in the company of Imam, the duo batted sensibly and made the target look less at one stage of the run chase.
Imam struggled a bit and so was Babar. He was troubled consistently by Mujeeb Ur Rahman but somehow managed to play out that phase and scored a half-century. He was dismissed by Fazalhaq Farooqi immediately after reaching his fifty and that opened up the match for Afghanistan. Mohammad Rizwan had to depart cheaply as a mixup between him and Imam brought about the downfall. Wickets kept falling at regular intervals with Mohammad Nabi bagging the wickets of Agha Salman and Usama Mir in one over. Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan tried to rebuild the innings but the required rate kept climbing at an alarming rate.
Iftikhar was dismissed after a dodgy knock of 17 and the pressure was very much on Afghanistan. Abdul Rahman who had a tough day in the office bowled two poor deliveries to finish his spell which took the equation down to 11 required off the final over. Shadab was dismissed run out at the non-striker's end as he tried to back up too far. It was Naseem Shah who came to the rescue of Pakistan yet again. A couple of boundaries ensured that Pakistan managed to edge past the target in the penultimate delivery of the match.
49.5 Fazalhaq Farooqi to Naseem Shah, FOUR! That is that! The Pakistan camp are absolutely pumped! Naseem absolutely PELTS his bat and helmet onto the ground as he runs off with Haris Rauf, who looks equally jubilant! Imam-ul-Haq hurls a few choice words at the balcony as he pumps his fists in joy! Naseem Shah has done it again! He just finds ways to snatch wins from under the Afghans' noses, and each time, his batting equipment has to bear the brunt! Coming back to the delivery - it was pitched up, kept wide outside off, Naseem looked to go over cover, managed a thick outside edge, and the ball sneaked past a wide gap at third man!
That is extraordinary. The first over ran than and in the end Noor Ahmad the back up fielder did a commendable job. 3 off 2 balls needed.
49.4 Fazalhaq Farooqi to Haris Rauf, dear me! What on earth happened there?! This was full outside off, Rauf looked to have a hoick, didn't quite meet it right, but got it into the gap at deep mid wicket. The ball spun, bounced, and went past the fielder at deep mid wicket, who ended up over-running it! The fielder backing up, Noor Ahmad, did a spectacular job in putting the dive in and parrying the ball back in! The batters rush back for a third! 3 off 2 needed now!
49.3 Fazalhaq Farooqi to Naseem Shah, full outside off stump, Naseem goes for another big hoick, but miscues this one towards backward square leg. Just a single
This is so strangely looking so similar to the Asia Cup game of 2022. 7 needed off 4.
49.2 Fazalhaq Farooqi to Naseem Shah, slower ball, pitched up on off stump, Naseem had a big hoick across the line, but met thin air
49.1 Fazalhaq Farooqi to Naseem Shah, FOUR! Full delivery on off stump, Naseem got right under it, clubbed this one into the vacant area at deep extra cover, and found the boundary on the bounce!
Haris Rauf, RHB is the new man in..
Shadab has to take the long walk back to the pavilion. This is proper game awareness from Farooqi and Shadab has to accept that. No point in arguing with it but this is what it is. A massive massive moment in the game.
49.1 Fazalhaq Farooqi to Naseem Shah, OUT! Shadab Khan has been run out at the non-striker's end! Shadab Khan, all you needed to do was watch the bowler while backing up! He didn't, Farooqi knew that Shadab would back up early, he broke the stumps even before getting into his delivery stride! Farooqi then made doubly sure of it, clipping the other bail off as Shadab continued to run towards the other end! That is excellent game awareness from the left-armer, one that might just win the game for his side!
Shadab Khan run out Fazalhaq Farooqi 48 (35b, 3x4, 1x6)
That was a full toss and it was clearly over the waist. Not sure why it wasn't called a no ball. That was clearly over the waist and very well timed by Shadab to power that well over the deep square leg fence. All of a sudden, Pakistan are the favorites here. Just 11 more needed off the final over.
Video
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Shadab Khan
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Abdul Rahman
Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota
![[Watch] Pakistan skipper Babar Azam falls prey to soft dismissal after a solid 53 in 2nd ODI vs Afghanistan](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/08/adb55-16928975685438-1920.jpg)
