ARUN JAITLEY STADIUM, OCT 15: The flamboyant opening batsman, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, unleashed his firepower with a scintillating knock of 80 as Afghanistan, spurred by some late-order fireworks, set a target of 284 against the defending champions, England in the 13th match of the Arun Jaitley stadium on Sunday.
In a remarkable turn of events, Afghanistan’s lower order delivered a crucial contribution of 94 runs, with the recalled Ikram Alikhil impressively contributing 58.
Gurbaz, a 21-year-old sensation, created a blazing trail with 80 runs off just 57 deliveries, featuring eight boundaries and four towering sixes, marking his eighth ODI fifty in his young international career. However, his jubilation turned to frustration when a disastrous run-out mix-up unfolded in the 19th over.
In an unfortunate incident, Gurbaz found himself involved in a run-out while batting alongside captain Hashmatullah Shahidi. Shahidi nudged the ball into the leg side and initiated a quick single. Regrettably, Gurbaz couldn’t make it to the crease in time, and England’s skipper Jos Buttler executed the run-out with a swift throw by substitute fielder David Willey.
Gurbaz’s fury was evident as he smashed his bat into a chair while departing the field with Afghanistan at 122-3.
Just before Gurbaz’s dismissal, Rahmat Shah had been stumped by Buttler off Adil Rashid, undoing all of Afghanistan’s impressive early work.
Gurbaz had raced to his half-century in only 33 balls, propelling Afghanistan to an explosive 100 without loss from 77 deliveries.
Following Gurbaz’s departure, England’s spinners made a significant impact, dragging the champions back into the contest during the middle overs. The impressive Rashid finished with figures of 3-42 from his 10 overs, initially breaking Afghanistan’s formidable 114-run opening stand by dismissing Ibrahim Zadran for 28.
Rashid also accounted for the dangerous Rashid Khan, who contributed a quickfire 23 off 22 balls before falling to a diving catch by Joe Root.
Nevertheless, the recalled Alikhil played a pivotal role with a resilient 58 off 66 deliveries, even after surviving a fierce blow to the shoulder from a rapid 147 km/h delivery by fast bowler Mark Wood. Mujeeb Ur Rahman chipped in with a brisk 28 off 16 balls to bolster Afghanistan’s total in the closing stages.
England’s seamers had a tough day, with Sam Curran conceding 46 runs off four overs and new ball bowler Chris Woakes giving away 41 runs in his four-over spell.
Both teams entered the game with varying fortunes in the tournament, with England coming off a loss to New Zealand and a victory over Bangladesh, while Afghanistan suffered heavy defeats to Bangladesh and India.
