afghanistan cricket team
Afghanistan team is climbing the ladder of progress very fast in cricket. This year is going to be a great year for the Afghan team. After defeating a strong team like Australia in the T20 World Cup 2024, Afghanistan recently created a new history by winning the ODI series against South Africa. Now Afghanistan has achieved a new feat by defeating Bangladesh badly in the first match of the ODI series.
Actually, the ODI series between Afghanistan and Bangladesh started on 6 October. In this first ODI match played in Sharjah, Afghanistan did wonders with both ball and bat. Batting first, Afghanistan lost 4 wickets within 35 runs but after this, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi and veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi played an important role in taking their team to 235 runs.
Bad condition of Bangladesh
Hashmatullah Shahidi scored 52 runs while Mohammad Nabi scored 84 runs in 79 balls with the help of 4 fours and 3 sixes. In this way, the Afghanistan team was successful in giving a challenging target of 236 runs to Bangladesh. Chasing the target, Bangladesh team had scored 120 runs after losing 3 wickets in 26 overs. After this, Afghanistan handed the ball to their young bowler Allah Ghazanfar and the entire Bangladesh team was reduced to within the next 23 runs.
Allah Ghazanfar took a series of wickets for Bangladesh as soon as he got the ball. Ghazanfar made 6 batsmen his victims giving 26 runs in just 6.3 overs. With this the 18 year old Afghan spinner created history. Allah Ghazanfar became the third youngest bowler to take 6 wickets in ODI cricket. Ghazanfar accomplished this great feat at the age of 18 years and 231 days. He is the third youngest bowler to do so after Waqar Younis and Rashid Khan.
Youngest bowler to take 6 wicket haul in ODI cricket
- Waqar Younis- 18 years 164 days
- Rashid Khan- 18 years 178 days
- Allah Ghazanfar- 18 years 231 days
Not only this, Ghazanfar gave the second best bowling performance for Afghanistan in ODIs, leaving behind Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan and Gulbadin Naib. Now only Rashid Khan is ahead of him. Bangladesh’s last 7 wickets fell within 11 runs. In this way, despite scoring 235 runs, the Afghanistan team managed to win by 92 runs. Afghanistan is now leading 1-0 in the 3-match ODI series.
Best bowling performance for Afghanistan in ODI
- 7/18 – Rashid Khan vs West Indies, Gros Islet, 2017
- 6/26 – Allah Ghazanfar vs Bangladesh, Sharjah, 2024
- 6/43 – Rashid Khan vs Ireland, Greater Noida, 2017
- 6/43 – Gulbadin Naib vs Ireland, Belfast, 2019
- 5/17 – Mohammad Nabi vs Ireland, Sharjah, 2024
- 5/19 – Rashid Khan vs South Africa, Sharjah, 2024
