Pakistan whitewash Afghanistan, rise to No 1 slot

KABUL (Pajhwok): With a clinical 59-run win over Afghanistan in the third the final game of the three-match series, Pakistan have climbed to the top of the ICC ODI rankings.

The outcome of Saturday’s encounter in Colombo gave the Green Shirts huge boost days before the Asia Cup, which is scheduled to commence in Multan on August 30.

Opting to bat, skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan chipped in with half centuries helped their side post a formidable total of 268 for eight on a tricky surface.

With the track getting quicker under lights, Afghanistan launched the chase on a shaky note. Spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman smashed the fastest fifty by an Afghan batter in ODIs.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Mujeeb hit his half century off 26 balls and gave the opposition some nervous moments. But he exited for 64 off 37 balls, with the target still too far.

As Pakistani bowlers held their nerves, national team was dismissed for 209 in the 49^th over. Shadab Khan was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 42.

Openers Riaz Hassan and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who played a remarkable knock in the second ODI, could not handle Pakistani pacers confidently. Faheem Ashraf in particular forced them on the back foot.

Ashraf removed Gurbaz with a straight delivery and was trapped in front of the stumps. He went on to dislodge Zadran for a duck.

Riaz chipped in with 34 off 66 balls before Shadab sent him back to the pavilion. In the same over, he accounted for Shahidi as Afghanistan slumped to 75 for 6 and then 97 for 7.

However, Mujeeb and Shahidullah Kamal stabilised Afghanistan’s tattered innings a 57-run stand for the eighth wicket. Mujeeb thrashed five fours and five sixes before he hit wickets.

In the first 30 overs, Pakistan scored only 103 runs, but the last 20 yielded 165. Babar and Rizwan added 110 runs for the third wicket and thereby laid the foundation for Pakistan’s third triumph on the trot.

Earlier, Fakhar Zaman slammed Fazalhaq Farooqi for five fours in the 20 balls he played.

Bowling for the first time in the series, Gulbadin Naib made his presence felt with a couple of outswingers. He had Fakhr caught by Riaz and then made Imam bite the dust.

Rizwan made his tenth ODI fifty off 69 balls while Babar took 77 balls to reach the landmark. Babar fell to Rashid Khan and Rizwan to Fareed Ahmed.

With Saud Shakeel’s run-out, Pakistan reeled at nine for three in 15 balls. But Mohammad Nawaz and Agha Salman put up résistance and steered their squad to stability. Their 61-run partnership off 47 balls for the seventh wicket was a major reprieve for the tourists.

In the process, Pakistan reached the top of the ODI rankings and relegated Australia to the second place. The Green Shirts had won the first game by 142 runs and the second by one a wicket.

PAN Monitor/mud

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