Postpublished at 16:56 British Summer Time 23 October 2023
Carlos Brathwaite
Ex-West Indies all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special
That was beautiful, switched hands and got a really good contact, finishing by rolling the wrists.
Summary
Afghanistan beat Pakistan by eight wickets, with six balls to spare
Afghanistan's first ODI win over Pakistan & their highest successful ODI chase
Zadran (87), Gurbaz (65), Rahmat (77*) & Hashmatullah (48*) all play sublime knocks
Pakistan post 282-7 - Babar 74, Abdullah 58; Noor 3-49
Iftikhar (40) & Shadab (40) make stand of 73 off 45 balls to boost total late on
Postpublished at 16:56 British Summer Time 23 October 2023
Afg 237-2published at 42.3 overs
Need 46 from 45 balls
It turns again.
Hashmatullah Shahidi takes two, before reverse sweeping past point and away to the boundary despite the cries of "catchhh".
More good running after a flick into mid-wicket brings a couple more.
Eight from the first three balls.
Postpublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 23 October 2023
Afghanistan are still strong favourites.
Either way, I think we're getting that close finish we've been asking for.
Image source, CricVizPostpublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 23 October 2023
Nikesh Rughani
BBC Test Match Special commentatorThat is exactly the kind of over Pakistan would have wanted.
Afg 229-2published at 42 overs
Need 54 from 48 balls
A good over from Usama Mir, conceding just four runs.
It finishes with three dot balls.
Suddenly the required run-rate is up at 6.75.
Postpublished at 16:50 British Summer Time 23 October 2023
Hmmm. Double spin as Usama Mir comes back on.
Afg 225-2published at 41 overs
Need 58 from 54 balls
Interestingly Babar Azam has returned to the spin of Shadab Khan. Pakistan are an over behind on the timer apparently so maybe he was trying to sneak one in now rather than near the end where it could be twitchy and the field is moving every ball.
Four runs from the over. It feels like Afghanistan need a boundary again.
Postpublished at 16:48 British Summer Time 23 October 2023
Carlos Brathwaite
Ex-West Indies all-rounder on BBC Test Match SpecialA very good knock, Rahmat has batted really, really well.
50 for Rahmat Shahpublished at 40.2 overs
Afghanistan's number three reaches his half-century off 58 balls.
He's got to bat through now. If he's there, Afghanistan win.
Postpublished at 16:46 British Summer Time 23 October 2023
The last 10 overs saw Afghanistan add 46 runs for the loss of one wicket.
The 10 before that saw 47 runs added.
They need 62 from the final 10.
Postpublished at 16:45 British Summer Time 23 October 2023
This was a glorious shot from Rahmat Shah.
Afg 221-2published at 40 overs
Need 62 from 60 balls
This is good from Hashmatullah Shahidi. He drives past extra cover and scurries back for a couple, before a drop-and-run single into the covers.
Oh brilliant stop! Rahmat Shah crunches a drive away but Saud Shakeel prevents the boundary with a superb diving effort. The ball was practically behind him when he clawed it back in.
Postpublished at 16:42 British Summer Time 23 October 2023
Carlos Brathwaite
Ex-West Indies all-rounder on BBC Test Match SpecialI don't trust Shaheen Afridi after that one against Australia. Oh my goodness. That is ridiculous. Impact outside leg stump.
Not outpublished at 16:41 British Summer Time 23 October 2023
That is a woeful review quite frankly.
It's hit Rahmat Shah outside the line on the leg side, and is missing leg stump by a mile.
Wasteful.
Postpublished at 16:41 British Summer Time 23 October 2023
Nikesh Rughani
BBC Test Match Special commentatorShaheen Afridi has ran all the way to Rizwan trying to convince him to review.
Pakistan reviewpublished at 39.1 overs
Shaheen Afridi hits Rahmat Shah on the pads first up. There's a huge appeal from the quick but Rod Tucker shakes his head.
Going down?
Postpublished at 16:40 British Summer Time 23 October 2023
Babar is going for it.
Shaheen Afridi is coming on at the over end.
He's got four overs left to bowl, and Haris Rauf three.
That's seven of the final 11 accounted for.
How's stat?!published at 16:39 British Summer Time 23 October 2023
Pakistan's death bowling is something that Afghanistan will have to be wary of, it is one of their specialities.
Prior to this World Cup starting, all of Pakistan's first five bowlers today, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Hassan Ali, Usama Mir and Shadab Khan all averaged lower in overs 41-50 than their total average in ODI cricket
In the cases of Shaheen, Rauf and Mir, they all average 15 or less in that time.
Afg 215-2published at 39 overs
Need 68 from 66 balls
Four runs from the over.
There's a little bit of reverse swing there for the Pakistan seamers, which is going to make this final period tricky for Afghanistan.
Postpublished at 16:35 British Summer Time 23 October 2023
Haris Rauf is coming back on.
So often he is brilliant at the death.
This could decide the game.