First it was Fazalhaq Farooqi, whose impeccable lines and lengths Sri Lanka failed to counter. The time when they seemed to do that, Mujeeb Ur Rahman managed to pick up two wickets in quick space to dent them further. And then Farooqi returned with his clever change of pace to wrap up the batting.
There was hope that Sri Lanka would make a game of this. And that narration lived up almost whenever Dilshan Madushanka had the ball in hand. He first struck with a perfect inswinger to see the early back of Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Then he returned to bounce out Ibrahim Zadran, who looked set for another World Cup fifty. He made sure that the moments leading up to the fifties of Shahidi and Omarzai were nervy, with some edges not going to hand. But there was little that could stop Afghanistan tonight in Pune!
In the last two run-chases combined, Afghanistan have lost just five wickets. Just five. Nervelessness personified. Jonathan Trott can afford more than just a smile. How crucial has the addition of a relaxed Ajay Jadeja been to their backroom staff.
One thing about Afghanistan players is they know how to give. They know of the support they get in India – it was their ‘home’ country when they were starting off. The adulation Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan and the likes get is special. And now, like we saw after the Pakistan win, they are taking a lap of the Maharashtra Cricket Stadium. To thank the fans. To express gratitude for all the support they got. And of course, Rashid is at the front of that. Scenes!
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
