Pakistan skipper Babar Azam gifted his bat to opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz. In the current World Cup, Gurbaz scored an incredible 65 runs to help Afghanistan defeat the Men in Green. A second unexpected success for Afghanistan in the World Cup was also their first ever triumph over Pakistan in a 50-over cricket match. Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran combined for a 130-run partnership that served as the foundation for the 283-run chase. His quick-fire innings of 65 off 53 balls helped Afghanistan defeat the Men in Green for the first time in the 50-over format.
Pakistan ended up on the losing side and is now on the verge of entering the must-win territory. Babar won hearts by gifting his bat to Gurbaz, keeping the “spirit of cricket alive”.
Afghanistan, with a dazzling all-round performance in the field, has stunned their neighbors with a thumping eight-wicket defeat.
The opening pair of Gurbaz (65) and Zadran (87), along with Rahmat Shah (77)* at No. 3, starred with the bat to help Afghanistan post a win for the ages.
Gurbaz’s performance was not only appreciated by his team and fans but also caught the attention of the opposition’s captain, Babar Azam. In a gesture that transcended competitive rivalries, Azam presented his bat to Gurbaz, acknowledging the young player’s contribution to Afghanistan’s win.
Chasing 283, a challenging total on a Chennai pitch affording an uneven bounce, Afghanistan cantered to a win by eight wickets with an over to spare.
Afghanistan has now got the better of two cricketing powerhouses former world champions Pakistan and defending champions England. The win lifted Afghanistan to sixth on the points table. On the other hand, Pakistan stayed in the fifth position with four points and a net run rate of – 0.400.
