During the first ODI of the much-anticipated series, Pakistan performed brutally with the ball bowling out of Afghanistan on just 59 runs. The Pakistani quick picked up 5 wickets which included an absolute jaffa to the showman of Afghanistan Rashid Khan. Watch Haris Rauf castles Rashid Khan with an absolute peach.
Haris Rauf castles Rashid Khan during the first PAK vs AFG ODI
While bowling the 16th over of the second innings Rauf didn’t let the starman of the opposition team stay in the crease for too long as he bamboozled Rashid’s off stump. The right-arm fast bowler delivered a full-pace delivery on a good length which skidded onto the surface and by the time Rashid could block the ball it shattered his off stump.
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Rashid had completely no clue how quickly that delivery took him off stump as he kept looking at the surface even after his dismissal. Rauf kept challenging the Afghani batters with his sheer fast bowling which rewarded him with his first-ever ODI fifer.
He dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman in his 6.2 overs.
Pakistan beat Afghanistan by 142 runs in the first ODI
Pakistan is off to a great start in this three-match ODI series against Afghanistan just before the Asia Cup 2023. Their bowlers are making a statement and showing how lethal they can be in this Asian condition where the Asia Cup and World Cup are going to be played later this year only.
While asked to bat first Pakistan was off to a poor start losing their captain Babar Azam and opener Fakhar Zaman in the first two overs. Thanks to Imam Ul Haq who steadied the sinking ship of the Pakistani batting order by making a few valuable partnerships with Shahdab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Mohammad Rizwan.
His courageous 61 runs helped Pakistan post a fighting total of 201 runs on board.
The Pakistani pace trio ran riots in the Afghanistani batting order
The pace battery of Pakistan Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah has again emerged as the biggest threat to the opposition even on the sluggish Asian wicket.
While defending the small target of 201 runs Shaheen does what he does best, picked wickets up-front with the new ball. He dismissed the in-form Ibrahim Zadran without scoring any runs. Along with Shaheen, the most complete bowler in the Pakistani bowling lineup ‘Naseem Shah’ showed his class by sending the opposition captain on a duck.
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The Man of the Match award winner Haris Rauf racks up half of the Afghanistan team to hand them their second-lowest ODI score.