It was difficult to know precisely when the signs became ominous for Pakistan. Was it when two overthrows allowed Afghanistan to turn a single into three runs early in the chase? Or was it when Shaheen Afridi strayed on the pads first ball and was clipped away for four? Or when, after the introduction of Haris Rauf, Rahmanullah Gurbaz played two back-to-back cuts for four, followed by an even more gorgeous square drive?
Whenever it was, there were early signs for those who’ve seen the Afghanistan opening pair of late that a special one was on the cards. Spurred on by an electric 21,500-strong crowd at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in an ICC ODI World Cup match in Chennai on October 23, Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran brought the roof down, reaching their respective fifties off 38 and 54 balls, setting Afghanistan on course to its highest successful run chase, of 283, in ODI cricket and a first win — by eight wickets — over Pakistan in the format.
It was the second time this pair had put on a century stand this tournament; they were helped by the fact that the ball just did not grip and turn as much under the lights as Shadab Khan and Usama Mir would’ve liked.
