Naseem Shah's last-over heroics help Pakistan beat Afghanistan in 2nd ODI by one wicket, win series

Naseem Shah, the batter, returns to haunt Afghanistan as he helps his team chase 301 with one wicket in hand during the second ODI in Hambantota on Thursday.

After electing to bat first, Afghanistan had a task at hand – to overcome the previous game demons and play for win in this match. Keeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran set the tone early as they went after the Pakistani bowlers. The pair avoided early jitters and on a good batting track made most of their chances.

Both right-handers slammed each bowler, Haris Rauf, particularly, who triggered their collapse in the first ODI with a five-for. Gurbaz was the aggressor of the two, going for biggies more often than not. The way this pair was striking the ball, it looked like Afghanistan was up for a huge total in the first innings.

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Both, in no time, completed a 200-plus run stand for the first wicket, putting Pakistan’s back against the wall. In the meantime, Gurbaz completed his fifth ODI hundred, becoming the second-quickest batter (in 23 innings) to achieve this feat.

Leg-spinner Usama Mir broke the 227-run stand for the first wicket, and with that, Pakistan did put brakes on Afghans’ fast-paced innings. Gurbaz departed next on a well-made 151, as Shaheen Afridi picked two wickets to help Pakistan restrict their opponents to 300 for five in 20 overs. With no wickets in seven overs, Rauf was Pakistan’s most expensive bowler, conceding 48 runs at 6.90.

Pakistan, in their chase, lost Fakhar Zaman inside the first 10 overs, with man-in-form Imam-ul-Haq and Captain Babar Azam stuck around to keep Pakistan afloat in the game. Both completed their respective fifties, however, Imam got out to Mujeeb on 91.

In between, Pakistan lost wickets in cluster, much like the previous game, with Babar Azam falling on 53.

Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan kept Pakistan in the chase with odd boundaries, but Afghanistan looked in control during the fag end of the innings.

Seamers and spinners kept it tight for the Afghans as they approached their first win against Pakistan in ODIs.

Two back-to-back wickets during the last four overs, including the big one of Iftikhar Ahmed, put Pakistan in a losing position. Having said that, the tide turned in the penultimate over after Shadab Khan changed the equation with some fireworks.

Fazalhaq Farooqi, on the first ball of the final over, pulled off a Mankad to dismiss dangerous Shadab Khan on 48, leaving only bowlers to chase the remaining 11 runs.

That wasn’t the end of the story, as Naseem Shah, the batter, returned to haunt Afghanistan, as he helped his team win the match with just one wicket in hand. With this, Pakistan won the second ODI and series 2-0, with one ODI left.

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