T20 World Cup 2021: 3 things Pakistan got right against Afghanistan and 2 they didn’t
Pakistan and Afghanistan had a very close match during their T20 World Cup 2021 group encounter on Friday. Mohammad Nabi won the toss for his team and decided to bat first. The decision worked in Pakistan’s favor early on as the bowlers took control of the match.
However, Gulbadin Naib (35) and Nabi (35) pulled the match back for their side and scored some quick runs in the final three overs of the contest. This took their total to 147 for six wickets.
Pakistan lost Mohammad Rizwan early in their batting innings before Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman put on a decent partnership. The Men in Green started wilting away before Asif Ali smoked the 19th over for four sixes to seal the deal for Pakistan.
The match was more than just a nail-bitter. It proved that Afghanistan is well capable of putting the top teams of the contest in tough situations. Pakistan, on the other hand, will have a lot to learn from this close victory.
Take a look at the three things Pakistan got right in their match against Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup and the two things they got wrong.
#5. Got right: The first 13 overs of the Afghanistan innings in the T20 World Cup 2021
WICKET! 💥
#Afghanistan lose their 5th wicket as Karim Janat holds to Fakhar Zaman at deep mid-wicket.
Imad Wasim gets his second wicket.
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#T20WorldCup #Pakistan #AFGvPAK https://t.co/0S0WGo2ZXB
Pakistan’s bowlers have been at the top of their game in the powerplay this T20 World Cup. Shaheen Afridi and Imad Wasim started off bowling for Pakistan against Afghanistan and gave the Men in Green a great start.
Imad picked up a wicket in his first over and Shaheen followed in the next. Afghanistan were five down for 65 in the first ten overs of the innings and it looked like Pakistan would restrict them to a subpar score.
Hasan Ali followed up the great work with a maiden 12th over that really put Afghanistan on the backfoot in the T20 World Cup clash. Afghanistan could only score 76 for the loss of six wickets in the first 13 overs of the innings.
Had Pakistan kept the pressure on, the team could have gotten Afghanistan out for a much lower total in the T20 World Cup.
The final three overs went for 43 runs and Pakistan were unable to pick up any wickets. The extra runs really hurt the Men in Green late in the contest.