Pakistan beat Afghanistan by five wickets to win their third game straight in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. They now look like the team to beat having almost secured their spot in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra explained where the Afghans went wrong in their game plan against formidable Men in Green.
Afghanistan were 64/5 in the 10th over. From there on, an unbroken 71-run stand for the seventh wicket between skipper Mohammad Nabi and Gulbadin Naib lifted them to 147 for 6. Aakash Chopra said that the Afghan batters’ over-exuberance cost the side some crucial runs.
“It was all or nothing for Afghanistan at the start. They were either hitting sixes or getting out. When you keep losing wickets, you are not able to build any momentum in the innings. That was the problem with Afghanistan. They lost 3-4 wickets early and it was baptism with fire for them.”
Pakistan Bowlers Were Too Good For Afghanistan: Aakash Chopra
The former Indian batsman further stated that the Pakistan bowlers were too good for the Afghanistan batters. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab Khan both returned with figures of 1 for 22, Imad Wasim claimed 2 for 25.
“Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf were bowling at 150 (kph). They were bowling full and trying to strike the pads. Imad Wasim’s contribution was also excellent. He bowls like a left-arm seamer and troubles batters. Three Pakistan bowlers went for under 30 in their four overs, which is laudable.”
Chopra also hailed Pakistan’s finisher Asif Ali who smacked four sixes in the 19th over to take his side home. Asif finished the game for Pakistan in two back to back games against New Zealand and Afghanistan. His finishing skills have added the might to the batting lineup all the more. He scored 25 from seven balls hitting them at a strike rate of 357.14.
That strike rate 😱
Asif Ali was the finisher in #Pakistan's #T20WorldCup win over #Afghanistan 🙌
Watch the #PAKvAFG highlights 👉 https://t.co/6TmwNEjWZF pic.twitter.com/Q4teNhi7rr
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 29, 2021
“Lot of people were saying that he (Asif Ali) is not fit for international cricket, some even questioned his temperament. But Asif Ali has proved critics wrong and has bailed Pakistan out with his lower-order hitting not once but twice. There were a lot of experts, including me, who felt that Pakistan was missing that striking power in the lower-middle order. Asif Ali is the answer to a lot of their problems. When he hits the ball, it travels the distance” added Chopra.