In a historic night for Afghanistan, Irfan Pathan and Rashid Khan broke into a celebratory bhangra dance after Afghanistan secured their first-ever win against Pakistan in men’s ODIs. This remarkable victory occurred during the 2023 World Cup, marking their second triumph in the tournament.

The match in Chennai witnessed Pakistan captain Babar Azam’s notable contribution with 74 runs off 92 balls, propelling Pakistan to a total of 282/7. However, Afghanistan displayed a clinical chase, capitalizing on some subpar fielding by Pakistan players, ultimately securing an impressive eight-wicket victory with an over to spare.

Despite being considered clear underdogs, Afghanistan had previously demonstrated their resilience, most notably defeating defending champions England by 69 runs earlier in the tournament. Against Pakistan, they emphasized their batting prowess, proving that their batters were equally formidable when given opportunities, especially when the Pakistan fielders committed comical misfields.

Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi sealed the win with a boundary off the final ball of the 49th over, prompting exuberant celebrations from the Afghanistan team and their supporters. The crowd at the Chepauk stadium rallied behind them, and the players embarked on a lap of honor following their initial jubilations.

During this lap of honor, star spinner Rashid Khan and former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan delighted the audience by spontaneously engaging in a bhangra dance. Pathan, present at the ground as part of the Star Sports analysis team, temporarily left his broadcasting duties to join Rashid in the joyful dance, creating viral social media footage.

Watch The Video Here:

Irfan Pathan dancing with Rashid Khan.

– Video of the day from Chepauk…!!!pic.twitter.com/ijoMGqKht1

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 23, 2023

While Afghanistan’s spinners, particularly Rashid Khan and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, are typically seen as their biggest threats, their batting strength shone in Chennai. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran provided a strong start, accumulating 130 runs before the opening partnership was broken in the 22nd over when Shaheen Afridi dismissed Gurbaz for 65 off 53 balls.

However, this didn’t trigger a collapse for Afghanistan. After Zadran’s departure for a well-fought 87 off 113 balls in the 34th over, Rahmat Shah (77*) partnered with Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (48*) to steer Afghanistan to victory.

Pakistan had set a target of 282/7 in their 50 overs, with spinner Noor Ahmad taking three wickets for Afghanistan and Naveen-ul-Haq securing two. For Pakistan, Babar Azam contributed 74 runs, while Abdullah Shafique scored 58.

Ibrahim Zadran, named the player of the match, expressed his positivity and intent on the field, crediting his strong partnership with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and their effective communication. This partnership was instrumental in building the momentum in Afghanistan’s favor, ultimately leading to this historic triumph for their nation.

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