Pakistan held their nerve to win a thrilling second ODI by just 1 wicket with 1 ball to spare to clinch the three-match ODI series 2-0 with one ball to spare. However, the ODI at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota was not without it’s controversies as Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan was controversially ‘mankaded’ or run out at the non-striker’s end by Afghanistan bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi in the final over.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Shadab Khan, who won the ‘Player of the Match’, was batting on 48 off 35 balls going into the final over with 11 runs needed to win but was ‘Mankaded’ off the first ball. Pakistan pacer bowlers Naseem Shah though held his nerve and edged a boundary to third man to script a thrilling win for his side.


However, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam was furious at the end of the match and lost his cool at the umpires for what happened in the final over. After the match, Babar had few words to say to former Afghanistan skipper and all-rounder Mohammad Nabi and the umpires.


WATCH Shadab Khan get ‘Mankad’ by Fazalhaq Farooqi HERE…



Babar Azam though praised Naseem Shah for keep his cool under extreme pressure. “All credit to the boys. We just tried to build the partnership when me and Imam were playing, just wanted to play long and see where we stand after 40 overs. We knew we could chase 80 or 90 in the last 10 overs. Naseem also comes up in crunch situations,” Babar Azam said.


WATCH Babar Azam reactions after the match HERE…



Shadab Khan blasted 48 off 35 balls with three fours and 1 six to ensure that Pakistan chased down 27 off the final two overs with only 2 wickets in hand. “When you are a senior player, you go through these stages every time. I try to be as calm as possible. The pitch was...their players have worked class spinners, so I wanted to take on fast bowlers. The boundaries were long. My plan was to go for two’s,” Shadab Khan said after the match.


Pakistan needed 301 to win after Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz smashed a brilliant 150 in the first innings. Pakistan chase was set up opener Imam-ul-Haq’s 91 off 105 balls with skipper Babar Azam chipping in with 53 off 66 balls.