Pakistan vs Afghanistan Asia Cup 2018: highlights

Pakistan secure a 3-wicket win over Afghanistan in a neck-to-neck battle.

Image Courtesy: Twitter/@ICC

Pakistan win by 3 wickets against Afghanistan in the Super four round of the 2018 Asia Cup. Shoaib Malik hit the last FOUR to secure grab the match from Afghanistan's hand.  

Follow the match highlights here:

# Pakistan win by 3 wickets!

# Pakistan wins! The match comes to an end! What an amazing end for such an entertaining match! This would have been Afghanistan's first win against Pakistan but the Shoaib Malik hit the last minute FOUR to lead his team for a 3-wicket win.

# Pakistan 248/7 after 49 overs. Pakistan need 10 runs in six balls.

# Hasan Ali is in at nine.

# WICKET!! Pakistan under enormous pressure now as Nawaz departs for 10. Pakistan now have three wickets in hand and Afghanistan eyeing to snatch the win from former's hand.

# Pakistan 229/6 after 47 overs. Pakistan need 29 runs in 18 balls.

# Mohammad Nawaz is in at eight.

# WICKET!! Rashid Khan takes his second wicket! Asif Ali departs as he wanted to strike another hit against Rashid delivery after hitting a SIX on the previous ball. The pressure is on for Pakistan now!

# Pakistan 219/5 after 46 overs. Pakistan need 39 runs to win in 24 balls. 

# Asif Ali is in at seven.

# WICKET! Naib takes the necessary wicket as he dismisses Skipper Sarfraz. This was an important one for Afghanistan as Malik-Sarfaraz partnership would hurt them. The pressure seems evident on both the side. It is not so hard for Pakistan to win but they will have to maintain their strategy and keep their calm.

# Pakistan 199/4 after 42 overs. Pakistan needs 59 runs in 48 balls.

# Sarfraz Ahmed is in at six. 

# WICKET!! Haris Sohail departs for 13 runs. Mujeeb takes his second wicket!

# Shoaib Malik is in at five.

# WICKET!! Another one here for Afghanistan as Rashid Khan dismisses Babar Azam! Two mighty players who have been steering Pakistan have been dismissed.

# Pakistan 156/2 after 34 overs.

# Haris Sohail is in at four.

# WICKET!! Afghanistan is finally able to break Babar - Imam's partnership. Rashid Khan grabs the wicket and Imam departs without completing a century at 80 runs. 

# The run rate still maintain the difference but pressure builds on Afghanistan as they are unable to get wickets. Pakistan have plenty of wickets in hand and an achievable target ahead if they move with this pace. To bring them down, Afghanistan will have to take quick wickets. Babar and Imam moving towards a strong partnership as they both complete their half centuries. Their partnership come up to 130 after 29 overs. Pakistan 130/1 after 29 overs. Pakistan need 128 runs to win. 

# Pakistan 100/1 after 24 overs.

# Pakistan has certainly achieved a stable spot as they move ahead with wickets in hand but it is still a long way for the heavyweights to go as the required run rate touched 6 runs per over. The current run rate still hangs on 3.97 runs per over which means Pakistan will have to up their game. On the other hand, Afghanistani bowlers eye the much-needed wickets for their team. Rashid Khan tries to change his strategy and trap the batsman but the Pakistani side is putting up a strong show. Will it be enough for them to pull it off?

# Pakistan 39/1 after 11 overs.

#  Meanwhile, India dominates Bangladesh in the other match. Click here to check the live updates from the match. 

# Pakistan are on to a decent start even after losing a wicket in the initial over. The current run rate is still less than the required run rate and Pakistan will have to buckle up in order to survive against Afghanistan. The fielding is set to trouble the Pakistani side hence a change in the strategy may be needed.

# Babar Azam is in at three. Pakistan 0/1 after one over!

# WICKET! What a start for Afghanistan as they grab a wicket in the first over itself. Fakhar Zaman dismissed without a run by Afghanistan's Mujeeb. 

# Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq open Pakistan's innings

# The match resumes!

# Innings break

# Afghanistan 257/6 after 50 overs.

# Afghanistan's innings comes to an end with Shahidi unable to complete his century but setting up a daunting target against Pakistan.

#  What a turn of event! Shahidi was bowled out by Hasan Ali while Ali had started celebrating in his signature style but unfortunately, it was a no ball and tired Shahidi struck a FOUR on the delivery thereafter. Disappointment for Ali and Pakistan.

# Pakistan aiming to restrict Afghanistan under 250 while Shahidi still finding space for boundaries.

# Gulbadin Naib is in at eight.

# WICKET!! First one for Hasan Ali. Najibullah bowled out by Hasan and Pakistan constantly hitting now to crush Afghanistan's spirit.

# Najibullah Zadran is in at seven.

# WICKET!! Nabi dismissed early on by Afridi. Second Wicket for Afridi and Pakistan entering back in the game now! Debutant Afridi bags two wickets for his team, breaking Afghanistani batsmen's partnership.

# Afghanistan 188/4 after 42 overs!

# Mohammad Nabi is in at six. 

# WICKET!! Finally! Pakistan strike back. Grabs skipper's wicket. Afghan dismissed by Shaheen Afridi. Much needed one for Pakistan! 

# The Pakistani bowlers will have to fight back now as both the Afghani batsmen at crease have come up with individual half-centuries. Afghan and Shahidi are troubling the Pakistani side with their performance. Playing on a strong partnership of 86 runs off 95 balls, both the players are striking hard paving way for the ball to reach boundary in comfort. It is Pakistan's chance to knock Afghanistan off balance now. Will they be able to do it?

# Afghanistan is trying all its might against heavyweight Pakistan while batsmen from the former have managed 43 runs in the last ten overs, giving Pakistan bowlers a tough competition in the middle overs.

# Afghanistan 101/3 after 26 overs.

# Asghar Afghan is in at five.

# WICKET! Another wicket come in for Pakistan after 14 overs. Rahmat dismissed this time yet again by Nawaz. This is Nawaz and Afghanistan's third wicket! 

Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi complete 50-run partnership for the third wicket. #AFGvPAK #AsiaCup2018 pic.twitter.com/2dclrvtAYs

— Afghan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) September 21, 2018

# In the other match, India knock Bangladesh off balance as they take five wickets after 18 overs. Bangladesh 65/5 after 18 overs. Click here for live updates from the match. 

#  Pakistan are off to a good start after dismissing Afghanistan's openers early on. Shahidi and Rahmat are trying to revive Afghanistan's side.

# Afghanistan 35/2 after 11 overs!

# Hashmatullah Shahidi is in at four.

# WICKET!! Nawaz takes his second wicket, dismisses Mohammad Shahzad. The openers knocked by Pakistan!

# Afghanistan 26/1 after nine overs!

# Rahmat Shah is in at three.

# WICKET!! Ihsanullah dismissed by Mohammad Nawaz, caught and bowled! Afghanistan lose the first one! Ihsanullah's dismissal comes after the Pakistani bowlers missed two chances to initially dismiss Afghanistan's openers. They finally grab one to start with!

# Pakistan's bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Usman Khan are trying to knock the spirit of Shahzad and Janat but the openers from Afghanistan are playing confidently to give their team a good start in the match.

# Mohammad Shahzad and Ihsanullah Janat come to bat first against Pakistan.

# In the other match, India won the toss and chose to field against Bangladesh. Click here to check live updates from the match.

# Afghanistan (Playing XI): Mohammad Shahzad(w), Ihsanullah Janat, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan(c), Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Aftab Alam, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

# Pakistan (Playing XI): Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed(w/c), Asif Ali, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Usman Khan, Shaheen Afridi

# Afghanistan won the toss and chose to bat against Pakistan!

Pakistan team warm up ahead of the #AsiaCup2018 match #PAKvAFG at Abu Dhabi.#HarSaansMeinBolo pic.twitter.com/fulZorziLp

— PCB Official (@TheRealPCB) September 21, 2018

Afghanistan have been gritty in their performance as they secured comprehensive wins over Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, taking everyone by surprise. The on-song Rashid Khan and Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman eye another stellar show against heavyweights Pakistan.

Pakistan, on the other hand, would look to regroup after an eight-wicket loss to arch-rival India in their last match. Pakistan had earlier defeated Hong Kong which helped them advance to the Super four round. They will have to put up a good show on Friday as Afghanistan seem to be in no mood to back out. 

Squad:

Afghanistan (From): Mohammad Shahzad(w), Ihsanullah Janat, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan(c), Samiullah Shenwari, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Aftab Alam, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Munir Ahmad, Sayed Shirzad, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Javed Ahmadi

Pakistan (From): Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed(w/c), Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Usman Khan, Shan Masood, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Nawaz, Junaid Khan, Shaheen Afridi