Afghanistan’s opening batsmen, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, both hit 50s in the second-highest opening partnership in T20 World Cup history. Whereas, Fazalhaq Farooqi grabbed his first five-wicket haul in T20I warm-up match. This helped Afghanistan to defeat debutants Uganda by 125 runs in their Group C game in the T20 World Cup in Guyana.
Afghanistan’s score of 183 for 5 was too much for Uganda, who were bowled out for 58 in 16 overs. Aside from Farooqi’s five wickets, Naveen-ul-Haq and skipper Rashid Khan each took two wickets as Afghanistan wrecked Uganda’s debut at cricket’s greatest tournament. Uganda, on the other hand, will be encouraged by their return with the ball.
Afghanistan lost 5 for 31 in the final six overs of their innings, finishing significantly below 200. Uganda captain Brian Masaba, a spinner, and quick bowler Cosmas Kyewuta both took two massive wickets.
Afghanistan’s Aggressive Performance
Gurbaz got things started by lofting left-arm spinner Alpesh Ramjani to the stand beyond the long-off boundary with the second ball of the innings. Ibrahim hit Kyewuta past mid-on for his maiden boundary. But wicketkeeper Simon Ssesazi dropped him on 16 off Ramjani.
He took advantage of the opportunity, hitting Dinesh Nakrani for four consecutive boundaries in the sixth over, as Afghanistan finished the powerplay with 66 for 0. Gurbaz increased his sixes total to four when he hit Henry Ssenyondo for two maximums in successive overs.
In the ninth over, he scored his seventh T20I fifty, followed by Ibrahim’s century in the next over. Ibrahim also scored his excellent 85 in T20Is before hitting Bilal Hassan for his maiden six, a nice slog over midwicket. Hassan had a rough 14th over. He ended up giving 25 runs in the over, and Afghanistan lost their way.
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AFG vs. Uganda: Masaba’s Efforts for Uganda
Ibrahim Zardan fell in the 15th over. He ended his 154-run partnership with Gurbaz, after missing a tossed-up ball from Masaba. Ramjani then directed Gurbaz to hole out to deep square leg in the next over. Meantime, Masaba dismissed Najibullah Zadran in the 17th over.
He got Gulbadin Naib at long-on for four, and in the last over, Azmatullah Omarzai skied one to short third. Uganda made a remarkable recovery after conceding at 10.85 in the opening 14 overs. They did not concede a single boundary in the final six overs of the innings, which is a first in the T20 World Cup.
Pace Blows Away Uganda’s Top Half
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Farooqi and Naveen each got two wickets in the powerplay. It reduced Uganda to 18 for 5. Farooqi dismissed Ronak Patel and Roger Mukasa from successive deliveries in the opening over. Both pitches were rapid and swung in, giving the two batters little time to lower their bats. Riazat Ali Shah saved the hat trick, but Uganda had no reprieve.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman caught Ssesazi at short fine leg. And Naveen bowled Nakrani off his inside edge in the sixth over. A ball later, Ramjani edged Naveen to Naib at first slip. It was Uganda’s first World Cup appearance, and Afghanistan highlighted the gap between the two teams.
Farooqi Steals the Show
Riazat and Robinson Obuya kept Afghanistan at bay for 7.3 overs, scoring 29 runs for the sixth wicket. But the former’s 34-ball vigil came to an end when Farooqi, returning to the attack for his third over, cleaned him up.
He had captain Masaba caught behind off the next ball, and Obuya, Uganda‘s leading scorer with 14 runs, was also caught behind in the same over, giving Farooqi a five-wicket haul. Rashid claimed the last two wickets, trapping Hassan lbw and removing Ssenyondo the next ball. Overall, GREAT powershow by Afghanistan’s young and talented team!
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About the Author
Zartash Zulfiqar is a passionate cricket writer whose love for cricket shines through in every word. From match analyses to player profiles, she delivers insightful commentary that resonates with fans worldwide. Stay tuned for the latest from the world of cricket, brought to you by Zartash.
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