The cricketing world was left stunned on June 8 after a major upset in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. Afghanistan shocked powerhouse New Zealand by a staggering 84 runs at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. This dominant victory marks Afghanistan's first ever win against the Black Caps in T20I cricket. Spearheaded by their inspiring captain Rashid Khan, Afghanistan's bowlers, particularly Fazalhaq Farooqi, played a crucial role in securing this historic win. This upset victory comes just a day after another surprising result in the tournament. Co-hosts USA pulled off a thrilling victory against Pakistan in the Super Over.
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Afghanistan, after winning the toss and electing to bat first, put up a strong showing on the scoreboard. Rahmanullah Gurbaz anchored the innings with a blistering 80 runs off just 56 balls, while Ibrahim Zadran provided valuable support with a solid 44. This helped Afghanistan reach a competitive total of 159 for 6 wickets by the end of their 20 overs. However, the real story of the match unfolded during New Zealand's chase. Faced with a determined Afghan bowling attack led by skipper Rashid Khan and the impressive Fazalhaq Farooqi, the New Zealand batsmen crumbled under pressure. Their innings came to a disappointing end at a mere 75 runs, a mere 15.2 overs into their chase. The annihilation marked a historic low for New Zealand in T20 World Cup history. It was their second-lowest score in the tournament ever, and the fourth-lowest total they've ever managed in a T20 International match. To add insult to injury, it was also their biggest defeat in terms of runs in a major ICC event.
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Afghanistan's Farooqi scripts history
The Afghan bowling attack, spearheaded by Khan and Farooqi, deserves immense credit for dismantling the Kiwi batting line-up so comprehensively. Both Farooqi and captain Rashid Khan delivered equally impressive figures, claiming four wickets each for just 17 runs.
Farooqi's performance etched his name in the record books as the first bowler to take more than four wickets in consecutive T20 World Cup matches. This feat comes after his dominant five-wicket haul for just nine runs against Uganda in the tournament opener.
While Farooqi and Khan spearheaded the attack, Mohammad Nabi also played a crucial role. His economical bowling (4.00 runs per over) and two key wickets further restricted the New Zealand chase, significantly contributing to Afghanistan's historic win.
The turning point of the match came with Farooqi's very first delivery. The Afghan quick dismissed New Zealand opener Finn Allen for a golden duck with a perfectly pitched, swinging full toss that rattled the stumps. This early dismissal set the tone for a dominant Afghan bowling performance that ultimately led to a historic upset.
Farooqi wasn't done there. He continued his wrecking ball impression by removing the dangerous Devon Conway in his next over. Conway could only manage a chip shot that found a fielder stationed at short extra cover. But the real gem of his spell came when he dismissed the experienced Daryl Mitchell. Farooqi set a cunning trap with a back-of-a-length delivery that nipped back sharply, inducing an edge that flew straight to the waiting wicketkeeper. This dismissal proved to be a major turning point, as it exposed the fragility of the New Zealand middle order.
Farooqi capped off his phenomenal spell by sending Matt Henry packing for just 12 runs. This dismissal sent shockwaves through the Kiwi batting line-up, completely shattering their hopes of chasing down the target.
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