COLOMBO: A collective bowling effort, followed by Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s half-centuries, led Pakistan to the top of the ODI Rankings with a clean sweep victory in the PAK vs AFG ODI series.
Opting to bat first in the third PAK vs AFG ODI of the three-match series, led by Pakistan 2-0, the green shirts accumulated 268/8 at the back of anchoring half-centuries by Babar and Rizwan.
Pakistan’s opening pair of Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq failed to provide a solid start to their side as they could raise 36 runs before returning Gulbadin Naib dismissed the former in the ninth over.
He could score 27 off 33 deliveries, laced up with five boundaries.
Naib then struck again in the 13th over to get rid of in-form Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq, who scored a scratchy 13 off 30 deliveries, hitting only one boundary.
With the side reeling at 52/2 in 12.5 overs, Babar Azam was joined by Mohammad Rizwan at the crease and the duo knitted an anchoring partnership for the third wicket.
Babar and Rizwan added 110 runs amid their cautious stand with both scoring half-centuries before Rashid Khan provided a much-needed breakthrough to Afghanistan, dismissing the Pakistan captain.
He smashed four boundaries and a six on his way to an 86-ball 60.
Babar’s dismissal opened the floodgates for Pakistan as they lost four wickets in quick succession, including their mainstay Mohammad Rizwan, and slipped to 189/6 in 41 overs.
Rizwan remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with a 79-ball 67 which featured six boundaries and a six.
Following the slump, Mohammad Nawaz and Salman Ali Agha stitched a vital 61-run partnership for the seventh wicket and added crucial runs at a brisk rate in the death overs before Nawaz fell in the penultimate over.
He scored a brisk 25-ball 30, hitting two boundaries and a six.
Meanwhile, Agha carried his bat all the way through with a 31-ball 38, which included four boundaries and a six.
Fareed Ahmad and Gulbadin Naib bagged two wickets each for Afghanistan in the third PAK vs AFG ODI while Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan made one scalp each.
