Pakistan Whitewash Afghanistan 3-0 To High ODI rankings
Pakistan rose to the highest of the one-day worldwide rankings with a 59-run win in opposition to Afghanistan within the third and closing match in Colombo on Saturday, claiming a 3-0 collection whitewash. Pakistan had been helped to 268-8 in 50 overs by a strong 79-ball 67 from Mohammad Rizwan and an 86-ball innings of 60 from skipper Babar Azam. They then dismissed their opponents for 209 in 48.4 overs with quantity 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman top-scoring for Afghanistan with a 37-ball 64 for his maiden half century. Rahman smashed 5 sixes and as many boundaries, racing to a brand new Afghan report for the quickest ODI fifty off simply 26 balls earlier than he stepped on to his stump and was out hit wicket off Shaheen Shah Afridi. Rashid Khan was the earlier report holder for Afghanistan with a 27-ball fifty in opposition to Eire in Abu Dhabi final 12 months.
Rahman and Shahidullah Kamal (37 off 65 balls) shared a valiant stand of 57 for the eighth wicket to present some respectability to the entire after their workforce had been reeling at 97-7.
Rahman additionally added 45 for the ninth wicket with Fareed Ahmad Malik who scored 17.
Pakistan received the primary match by 142 runs and by one wicket within the second — each video games performed in Hambantota.
Pakistan had been at quantity two within the Worldwide Cricket Council ODI rankings earlier than the collection however the 3-0 triumph lifted them above Australia.
Pakistan had been briefly primary earlier this 12 months.
Pakistan medium pacer Faheem Ashraf eliminated Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who made a century within the final recreation, for 5 and Ibrahim Zadran for an 11-ball duck to complete with 2-43.
Pakistan rested frontline bowlers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah in 4 adjustments however they had been nonetheless adequate with the ball as spinners Shadab Khan (3-42) and Mohammad Nawaz (2-45) shared 5 wickets.
“Sure, we’re primary,” mentioned Azam, who can be the primary batsman within the ODI rankings.
“All credit score to boys. Now we have labored arduous for the final of couple of months and it has taken us thus far, so I’m actually completely satisfied.”
Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi admitted his workforce was not on top of things.
“We did not apply ourselves,” mentioned Shahidi. “We’re upset with the efficiency however there may be loads of studying.”
It was Rizwan and Azam who anchored Pakistan’s innings after they received the toss and batted.
Rizwan hit six boundaries and a six whereas Azam knocked 4 boundaries and a six to assist Pakistan to a preventing whole.
The Rizwan-Azam pair added 110 runs for the third wicket to regular the innings after pacer Gulbadin Naib eliminated openers Fakhar Zaman (27) and Imam-ul-Haq (13).
Pakistan stuttered within the center overs with 4 wickets misplaced for the addition of simply 27 runs, together with Azam’s wicket who scored his twenty eighth half century.
Saud Shakeel was run out for 9 and Shadab for simply three as Pakistan had been struggling at 189-6.
Agha Salman (38 not out) and Nawaz (30) added 61 for the seventh wicket as Pakistan added 80 within the final ten overs.
Salman hit 4 boundaries and a six in his 31-ball quickfire knock.
Naib was the choose of Afghanistan bowlers with 2-36.
The 2 groups will now function within the six-nation Asia Cup beginning in Multan from August 30.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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