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Rediff.com  » Cricket » PIX: Afghanistan rout Dutch to keep semis hopes alive

PIX: Afghanistan rout Dutch to keep semis hopes alive

Source: PTI
Last updated on: November 03, 2023 20:38 IST
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IMAGE: Rahmat Shah scored a fluent half-century to set the platform for a comfortable chase during the World Cup 2023 match in Lucknow on Friday. Photograph: Afghanistan Cricket Board/X

Afghanistan kept their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup semi-finals alive after beating the Netherlands by seven wickets in a low-scoring group game on Friday.

 

Afghanistan climbed to fifth in the standings with eight points, behind New Zealand on net run rate. The top four teams move into the last four.

Afghanistan had won only one game in two previous World Cups, but the Asian side now have four wins in the tournament in India having also beaten defending champions England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

IMAGE: Skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi made an unbeaten 56 to guide Afghanistan home. Photograph: Afghanistan Cricket Board/X

Chasing 180 for victory after the Netherlands won the toss and opted to bat first, Afghanistan were 55/2 but Rahmat Shah scored a breezy 52 off 54 balls to set the platform for a comfortable chase.

Skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi made an unbeaten 56 to guide Afghanistan home in the 32nd over, smashing the winning runs with his sixth boundary.

IMAGE: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, right, celebrates with team-mates after taking the wicket of Wesley Barresi. Photograph: Afghanistan Cricket Board/X

Earlier, Sybrand Engelbrecht struck a gritty half-century but failed to push the Netherlands to a competitive total as Afghanistan bowled them out for 179.

Engelbrecht (58 off 86) anchored Netherlands' innings after the Dutch suffered a mid-innings collapse. This was after Max O'Dowd (42 off 40) and Colin Ackermann (29) shared an attacking 70-run stand off 64 balls for the second wicket after electing to bat.

Netherlands lost Wesley Barresi, who replaced Vikramjit Singh, in the fifth ball of the innings, with Mujeeb Ur Rahman trapping him plumb in front of the wicket.

IMAGE: Sybrand Engelbrecht's half-century the Dutch get past the 150-run mark. Photograph: Cricket Netherlands/X

O'Dowd and Ackermann steadied the Dutch ship before Netherlands suffered a dramatic middle-order collapse.

Three run outs jolted Netherlands' surge as from 73/1 they slumped to 92/5, losing half the side inside 20 overs.

Poor judgement while running between the wickets and some brilliant fielding from the Afghans destabilised the Dutchmen.

IMAGE: Afghanistan's players celebrate after Mohammed Nabi claimed the wicket of Bas de Leede. Photograph: Afghanistan Cricket Board/X

A set O'Dowd fell victim to an unnecessary run out, caught inches short of the crease by Azamatullah Omarzai's direct hit from the deep in search of a double. O'Dowd struck nine boundaries during his knock.

A few overs later, it was Ackermann who was run out at the keeper's end while going for a non-existent single.

Netherlands' slide continued as wickets fell like nine pins with wicket-keeper Ikram Alikhil involved in four dismissals.

IMAGE: Four of the top five Dutch batters were dismissed run out. Photograph: Afghanistan Cricket Board/X

Bas de Leede first edged one to Alikhil off off-spinner Mohammad Nabi and then few overs later the Afghan glovesman pounced on another smart nick off Noor Ahmad to send Saqib Zulfiqar back into the dressing room.

Alikhil then effected a stumping off Nabi to dismiss Logan van Beek.    

The wear and tear of Lucknow pitch favoured the Afghan spinners -- Nabi (3/28), Noor Ahmad (2/31) and Mujeeb (1/40).

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