In a nerve-jangling 2nd ODI between Pakistan and Afghanistan on August 24 (Thursday) at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota, wild scenes became a spectacle for the onlookers after the Men in Green secured a thrilling victory. Naseem Shah kept his composure under immense pressure and stroked two boundaries in the last over, including the match-winning strike on the penultimate delivery of the match.
With adrenaline running high through his veins, Naseem threw his helmet and bat on the ground before setting off for a victory run on the ground. While Haris Rauf tried to join in on the celebration, his attempt to embrace Naseem was futile as the latter was charged up.
In the dugout, Imam-ul-Haq and other Pakistan players hollered in aggression, unleashed fist pumps and even hurled a few cuss words in pure jubilation.
Watch the video here:
One of the reasons why the Men in Green players celebrated the win in such an animated manner was because Fazalhaq Farooqi ran out Shadab Khan at the non-striker's end after the latter left his crease before the former had delivered the ball. With tension running high and the match on the line, Farooqi's game awareness almost ended Pakistan's hopes. But with 10 runs required off the last over and only one wicket in hand, Naseem crushed Afghanistan's hopes of leveling the series.
Pakistan chased down the target of 301 runs with one ball and as many wickets to spare. As a result, Babar Azam's men took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Imam scored 91 runs off 105 balls while skipper Babar played a handy knock of 53 runs off 66 balls. Shadab Khan's 48 runs off 35 balls turned the game in the Men in Green's corner after the middle-order batters left the team in a precarious position.
Earlier, Rahmanullah Gurbaz played a sensational knock of 151 runs off as many deliveries and helped Afghanistan post a competitive total of 300/5 in 50 overs.
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