Shadab Khan, an all-rounder for Pakistan, said his strategy was to see out the overs of Afghanistan’s spinners and go for the runs against the faster bowlers after his team’s exciting triumph in the second One-Day International.
When Shadab hit a four and a six on two full tosses against fast bowler Abdul Rahman in the 49th over as Pakistan was chasing 301, they were once again in the game. Shadab had struck 48 off 35 balls.
He moved out of the crease before the ball was bowled, and Fazalhaq Farooqui ran him out at the non-striker’s end with 11 runs needed off the last over. However, Naseem Shah (10 not out) and Haris Rauf maintained their composure to help Pakistan cross the finish line with one ball remaining.
“When you’re a senior player, you go through these stages again and again. Sometimes you fail, sometimes you succeed. I try to be as calm as possible. Their team has world-class spinners so I wanted to see their overs off and accelerate against their fast bowlers. The boundaries are long so there are easy twos, so when Shaheen and Naseem came our plans were to go for twos,” said Shadab after the game ended.
With Pakistan taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam credited his team for clinching a narrow win. “All credit to the boys. We just tried to build the partnership when me and Imam were playing, just wanted to play long and see where we stand after 40 overs.”
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“We knew we could chase 80 or 90 in the last 10 overs. Naseem also comes up in crunch situations. I always try to improve. Can never be satisfied. We see different quality of bowling. I am never worried about my skills and just back my skills at all times. All focus on the last match.”
The wicketkeeper-batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 151 runs were in vain, as Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi was left regretting a squandered chance to secure Afghanistan’s first-ever ODI victory over Pakistan.
“It is hurting because we had enough runs but at the last moment they took the game away from us. The over which…49th over there were some easy balls to the batsman and they smashed it. They (openers) are playing very good from one and half years. I want them to play the same way. Both are good sides. The pressure, we weren’t able to control.”
-IANS
