A record-breaking opening stand between Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz mixed with a sensational show of swing bowling by Fazalhaq Farooqi helped Afghanistan register the fourth largest win in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup historical past – by 125-run, over debutants Uganda at Providence Stadium in Guyana. Â
Hopeful of a memorable T20 World Cup debut, Uganda began off with loads of power on the sphere, nevertheless, issues went haywire for them after the Afghan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran mixed collectively to register the second-highest opening stand (154) within the historical past of the event.
Gurbaz was fluent proper from the outset and scored 76 off 45 balls. His strike charge of 168.88 allowed Ibrahim Zadran to tempo his innings at his most well-liked tempo. Zadran was a bit tentative at the start however accelerated in the direction of the top to compensate for his gradual begin.
Zadran, 22, scored 70 off 46 balls with the help of 9 fours and a most and batted at a strike charge of 152.17.
Afghanistan’s innings ran out of gasoline as quickly as Uganda broke the opening partnership. Uganda’s bowlers wrestled again momentum and restricted Afghanistan to only 183 of their 20 overs.
However, the goal proved to be simply an excessive amount of for the African facet as they seemed unusual towards a well-oiled Afghanistan assault led by left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi. Farooqi ran by means of Uganda’s batting order and completed with figures of 5/9 – the fourth-best ever registered within the marquee event.
Player of the Match (POTM) Farooqi additionally recorded his private finest bowling figures in T20I cricket and put Uganda instantly on the again foot within the first over of the run chase. Farooqi removed Ronak Patel and Roger Mukasa within the first over and Uganda by no means managed to get well from the double whammy.
The African nation ultimately folded for 58 in 16 overs, recording the fourth-lowest whole within the historical past of the Men’s T20 World Cup.
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