Taruba [Trinidad and Tobago], Fast bowler Fazalhaq Faruqui's brilliant three wickets and Gulbadin Naib's brilliant innings helped Afghanistan register a seven-wicket win over Papua New Guinea in the ICC T20 World Cup match in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday.
With this win, Afghanistan has achieved its third win in three matches and has reached the Super Eight stage along with West Indies. Also, New Zealand, who have lost to Afghanistan and West Indies so far, are out of the tournament.
Chasing the target of 96, Afghanistan lost their star opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz (11 in seven balls) and Ibrahim Zadran (0) cheaply and were reduced to 22/2 in 2.5 overs.
All-rounders Gulbadin Naib and Azmatullah Omarzai revived the run-chase, taking the score past 50 in 7.3 overs.The 33-run partnership between the two ended with Umarzai getting out after scoring 13 runs in 18 balls. Afghanistan's score was 55/3 in 8.4 overs.
At the halfway point of their innings, Afghanistan's score was 59/3 and needed 37 runs to win.
Naib, along with Mohammad Nabi, took Afghanistan to the goal of victory. Afghanistan's innings ended at 101/3 in 15.1 overs with the help of Naib (49* in 36 balls, with the help of four fours and two sixes) and Nabi (16* in 23 balls, with the help of one four).
For PNG, Eli Nao, Semo Kamiya and Norman Vanua took one wicket each.
Afghanistan won the toss and decided to bowl first.PNG had a poor start and lost their captain Asad Wala for just three runs from two balls after Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Fazalhaq Farooqui were run out. PNG's score was 12/1 in 1.5 overs.
The next players to go were Lega Siaka and Sesay Bau, who were dismissed for golden ducks by Fazalhaq Faruqi, who had them caught behind off Gurbaz. Hiri Hiri was clean bowled by Naveen Ul Haq for just one run. PNG were struggling at 17/4 in 3.1 overs.Tony Ura was then joined by Chad Soper, who tried to build a partnership. However, Naveen got his second wicket, dismissing Ura for 11 runs from 18 balls with the help of a four, ending the stand at 13 runs. PNG's score was 30/5 in 5.4 overs.
PNG were 30/5 at the end of the first six overs in the powerplay.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Kiplin Doriga looked good, hitting a few boundaries and attempting to build a match-saving partnership, but the run-outs of Noor Ahmed and Rashid Khan ended the stand at 16, leaving Chad on nine. .PNG's score was 46/6 in 9.4 overs.
At half-time of their innings, PNG were 48/6.
PNG reached its 50-run mark in 11.5 overs. Norman Vanua was run out for duck, leaving PNG's score at 50/7 in 12.1 overs.
Doriga and Ellie Nao made a good partnership of 38 runs, taking PNG close to 100 runs.Noor ended the stand by LBW for 27 off 32 balls with two fours. PNG's score was 88/8 in 17.5 overs.
PNG collapsed for just 95 runs in 19.5 overs.
For PNG, Farooqui took three wickets for 16 runs in four overs. Naveen also gave a brilliant spell of 2/4 in 2.5 overs.Noor also took one wicket for 14 runs in his quota of four overs.
Brief scores: PNG: 95 in 19.5 overs (Kiplin Doriga 27, Ali Nao 13, Fazalhaq Farooqui 3/16) lost to Afghanistan (Gulbadin Naib 49*, Mohammad Nabi 16*, Semmo Kamiya 1/16).
With this win, Afghanistan has achieved its third win in three matches and has reached the Super Eight stage along with West Indies. Also, New Zealand, who have lost to Afghanistan and West Indies so far, are out of the tournament.
Chasing the target of 96, Afghanistan lost their star opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz (11 in seven balls) and Ibrahim Zadran (0) cheaply and were reduced to 22/2 in 2.5 overs.
All-rounders Gulbadin Naib and Azmatullah Omarzai revived the run-chase, taking the score past 50 in 7.3 overs.The 33-run partnership between the two ended with Umarzai getting out after scoring 13 runs in 18 balls. Afghanistan's score was 55/3 in 8.4 overs.
At the halfway point of their innings, Afghanistan's score was 59/3 and needed 37 runs to win.
Naib, along with Mohammad Nabi, took Afghanistan to the goal of victory. Afghanistan's innings ended at 101/3 in 15.1 overs with the help of Naib (49* in 36 balls, with the help of four fours and two sixes) and Nabi (16* in 23 balls, with the help of one four).
For PNG, Eli Nao, Semo Kamiya and Norman Vanua took one wicket each.
Afghanistan won the toss and decided to bowl first.PNG had a poor start and lost their captain Asad Wala for just three runs from two balls after Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Fazalhaq Farooqui were run out. PNG's score was 12/1 in 1.5 overs.
The next players to go were Lega Siaka and Sesay Bau, who were dismissed for golden ducks by Fazalhaq Faruqi, who had them caught behind off Gurbaz. Hiri Hiri was clean bowled by Naveen Ul Haq for just one run. PNG were struggling at 17/4 in 3.1 overs.Tony Ura was then joined by Chad Soper, who tried to build a partnership. However, Naveen got his second wicket, dismissing Ura for 11 runs from 18 balls with the help of a four, ending the stand at 13 runs. PNG's score was 30/5 in 5.4 overs.
PNG were 30/5 at the end of the first six overs in the powerplay.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Kiplin Doriga looked good, hitting a few boundaries and attempting to build a match-saving partnership, but the run-outs of Noor Ahmed and Rashid Khan ended the stand at 16, leaving Chad on nine. .PNG's score was 46/6 in 9.4 overs.
At half-time of their innings, PNG were 48/6.
PNG reached its 50-run mark in 11.5 overs. Norman Vanua was run out for duck, leaving PNG's score at 50/7 in 12.1 overs.
Doriga and Ellie Nao made a good partnership of 38 runs, taking PNG close to 100 runs.Noor ended the stand by LBW for 27 off 32 balls with two fours. PNG's score was 88/8 in 17.5 overs.
PNG collapsed for just 95 runs in 19.5 overs.
For PNG, Farooqui took three wickets for 16 runs in four overs. Naveen also gave a brilliant spell of 2/4 in 2.5 overs.Noor also took one wicket for 14 runs in his quota of four overs.
Brief scores: PNG: 95 in 19.5 overs (Kiplin Doriga 27, Ali Nao 13, Fazalhaq Farooqui 3/16) lost to Afghanistan (Gulbadin Naib 49*, Mohammad Nabi 16*, Semmo Kamiya 1/16).
