In a surprising turn of events at the World Cup match in Chennai, Afghanistan clinched an emphatic victory over Pakistan by a margin of eight wickets. The commendable performance by Afghanistan's cricket team was lauded by many, including Pakistan's legendary cricketer, Waqar Younis.
Afghanistan's chase of a 283-run target was spearheaded by openers Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The duo laid a solid foundation, which was further bolstered by Rahmat Shah and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi's unbeaten innings of 77 and 48 runs, respectively. This victory adds to Afghanistan's impressive streak in the tournament, having previously defeated the defending champions, England.
Waqar Younis, expressing his views on Star Sports, stated, "It is very hurting. But I'm very happy for Afghanistan. Also, don't forget because you know they deserve it. The way they handle the pressure, the way they played cricket. I'm happy for them. I am gutted because you know what I've seen today."
However, Waqar's critique of the Pakistan team was scathing. He lamented their 'zero attitude' and described their play as lacking basic cricket understanding, akin to "mere freestyle balling."
He remarked, "That's not the Pakistan team. I know you know. The attitude was totally missing zero out there. There was no method. It was just you Ball, you ball. You know, we're not going to field and we're sitting on the heels. There was so much to sort of. We can sit down here all night and criticise because they have provided us so much to talk about."
The former Pakistan captain highlighted the team's lack of structure and finesse, especially in areas they once excelled, like fielding and bowling. This significant loss has jeopardised Pakistan's prospects, diminishing their chances of securing a spot in the World Cup semi-finals.
At present, Pakistan is in the fifth spot. But after suffering three straight losses, a subsequent loss to South Africa this week might potentially end the 1992 champions' chances of advancing to the knock-out rounds.
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