Pakistan defeated Afghanistan by one wicket in a thrilling contest in the final over of the match in Hambantota on Thursday, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead in the one-day series. Chasing 301 runs, Pakistan managed to avoid a narrow loss and upheld their unbeaten ODI record against the host team in several matches, clinching their sixth victory.
Unforgettable Clash: Pakistan Clinches Victory Against Afghanistan in Nail-biting Finish
In the final over of the match, 11 runs were required, and Shadab Khan was at a strong position with an unbeaten 48*. Pakistan had two wickets in hand. However, Fakhar Zaman, on his very first ball faced, took a back-up run and was run out. Before Faheem Ashraf bowled, Shadab was far away from the crease, and the replay confirmed the run-out. Harris Rauf’s quick run-out on a strike brought the equation to six runs off three balls. Then, a misfield in the deep helped Pakistan score three runs, and when they needed three runs off the last two balls with just one wicket in hand, Naseem Shah’s incorrect flick at short third man took the visiting team home.
Record-breaking Performances: Gurbaz’s 151 and Zadran’s 80 in Vain as Pakistan Emerges Triumphant
This indicated that Afghanistan’s remarkable batting performance went in vain. After losing their first wicket at 59 runs in the first ODI, Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s splendid 151 runs and Ibrahim Zadran’s 80 runs allowed the team to reach 300 runs for 5 wickets. However, in the end, it wasn’t sufficient for them to secure their first victory against Pakistan in this format.