ISLAMABAD: In the last ODI of the three-match series at Hambantota on Saturday, Afghanistan bowlers restricted Pakistan to 268-8.
Pakistan chose to bat first, and they lost the openers, Fakhar Zaman and Imamul Haq, earlier in the innings. However, the pair of skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan once again showcased a formidable batting performance.
Babar and Rizwan accumulated 110 runs in 145 balls, creating an opportunity for the visitors to record a decent total on the scorecard.
Battle Begins: Pakistan And Afghanistan Chase Bigger ODI Dreams
Meanwhile, After the initial bilateral ODI series between the two teams, the six-nation Asia Cup is set to follow, commencing on August 30 in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Subsequently, the World Cup will take place in India starting from October 5.
Afghanistan, unable to host international cricket due to security concerns, will be hosting these events, marking their home series.
“These three matches are a good opportunity for us to test our players in the match situation,” said Azam.
The top-ranked ODI batsman, Azam, is at the helm of a formidable team, which also features Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq as openers, holding the third and fourth positions in the rankings.
Supporting them is a formidable pace attack comprising Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf.
Afghanistan’s lineup sees the return of the world-class spinner Rashid Khan, who has regained fitness after withdrawing from The Hundred competition in England.
Azam said, “Afghanistan has developed into a good side.”
“We are not going to take these matches lightly,” said Azam, despite Pakistan having won all four ODIs against Afghanistan since the countries first met in 2012.
“We have good players who can deal with spin bowling so it is going to be an exciting series.”
Batsman Hashmatullah Shahidi leads the Afghanistan team, which introduces fresh talents in the fast bowling department, namely Abdul Rahman, Mohammad Saleem Safi, and Wafadar Momand.
The match on Tuesday takes place in Hambantota, while the two remaining matches for Thursday and Saturday are in Colombo.
