Pakistan and Afghanistan played out a last-over thriller in the second ODI in Hambantota on Thursday (August 24). Tempers flare often when the two teams meet and the same happened when Fazalhaq Farooqi ran Shadab Khan out at the non-striker’s end in the final over. It was the ninth wicket to fall for Pakistan and with 11 runs needed, the onus was on Naseem Shah to take his side over the line.
The youngster had done it before in the T20 Asia Cup last year and he did it again this time around against the same bowler. Naseem finished the game off the penultimate ball of the innings and went on a celebratory sprint even as the Pakistan camp looked pumped up. They were certainly not pleased with Shadab’s run-out at the non-striker’s end. Though the dismissal is now deemed legal in the rule books, not many have accepted calling it ‘against the spirit of the game.’
Coming back to Naseem, he was delighted after finishing the match for Pakistan, for the second time against Afghanistan. However, he missed his late mother on the occasion and got emotional. “Kaash meri ammi aaj yeh dekh sakti,” Naseem said after the match. For the unversed, Naseem Shah’s mother passed away when he was about to make his Test debut in 2019 in Australia.
As for the match, Afghanistan had posted a massive total of 300 runs in their 50 overs on the back of a stunning 151 from Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Pakistan, in response, were struggling at 211/6 at one stage but Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed took them close. The former’s run-out at the non-striker’s end had more or less ended their hopes in the final over but a certain Naseem Shah had different ideas as he yet again finished the game for Pakistan to seal the series for them. The third and final ODI between the two teams is scheduled to be played on August 26.
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