Hello and welcome to Sportstar's live coverage of the warm-up match between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Gulbadin Naib: It is a great victory for the people of Afghanistan. At the start of the day we thought this is a 300+ wicket so credit goes to the bowlers to restrict Pakistan. Hopefully, we will do better in the next matches."
Hashmatullah Shahidi : "I feel very good. It was a good win for us. I wanted to stay till the end and finish the game. We lost wickets in the middle but I kept my calm and did it for my team. This win means a lot. First game was important for us and thanks to all the Afghan fans for the support."
Sarfaraz Ahmed: We didn't get enough runs on the board. We were 15-20 runs short and we didn't bowl well in the first 10 overs. It is very tough when you are losing the matches. Babar played a very good knock, he is our main batsman. Wahab is back in the team because of his pace and his reverse swing."
◙ Riaz starts off with a dot. Four off five now. Rashid goes for a mighty heave but manages a brace . Two off four now. Rashid gets a single next ball. And Shahidi hits the winning run. A three-wicket victory for Afghanistan!
◙ 14 needed off 12 balls. Shadab to bowl the penultimate over. Four off the first three deliveries and Shahidi manages to hit one to the fine leg fence for four. 10 off the over. Just four required now. Riaz to bowl the final over.
◙ GONE! Hasnain gets rid of Nabi. Too little, too late? Four off the over. Afghanistan needs 16 runs in 18 balls. Riaz meanwhile has put the pressure back on Afghanistan with two late strikes: gets rid of Najibullah and Naib to reduce Afghanistan to 249/7. Rashid Khan joins Shahidi.
◙ Mohammad Hasnain has been brought into the attack. Afghanistan now needs 27 off 31 balls. Six off that over. Riaz is back into the attack. Pakistan needs wickets. Nabi scythes one through sweeper cover for four. Victory in sight for Afghanistan. Seven off it. Afghanistan 243/4 after 46 overs.
◙ Shahidi brings up his fifty with a boundary to fine leg. Six coming off that over. Afghanistan now less than 50 away from the target. Nabi now upping the ante: smashes a flighted delivery from Shadab for four. And Shahidi ends the over with a hit to the square leg boundary. 11 runs off it. Afghanistan 230/4 after 44 overs. Afghanistan needs 33 runs in 36 balls.
◙ Afridi goes for just four in the 40th over. Shahidi and Nabi are doing it smartly here. Imad Wasim, who has been quite spectacular with the ball, returns for his ninth. Goes for just five. Afghanistan 211/4, needing 52 off nine overs.
◙ Shaheen Afridi continues to leak runs. Nine off his first three balls, including two wides and a boundary by Nabi. He ends the over with a yorker. 10 runs off the over. Afghanistan needs 69 runs in 84 balls. Imad Wasim goes for just three. At the other end, Shahidi's single off Afridi brings up the Afghanistan 200. Afghanistan needs 63 runs in 72 balls.
◙ Rameez Raja on air says "One cameo for Nabi could seal it for Afghanistan" and rightly so. The Afghan all-rounder's exploits in the IPL are a testament. Shahidi has moved into the 40s; he has been the fulcrum of this chase so far.
◙ Shahidi needs to bat till the end. Nabi and Rashid both can use the long handle to good effect. The run chase is about holding the nerves now. Amir meanwhile concedes just one off his sixth over. Afghanistan 179/4 after 34 overs. It needs 84 more to win.
◙ Mohammad Amir is back into the attack. Stanikzai ends the over with a boundary. Eight runs coming off the over. Imad Wasim to continue. He strikes! Stanikzai has been cleaned up and Afghanistan is four down, and 85 shy of the total. Mohammad Nabi comes to the crease.
◙ Shenwari perishes and it's Imad Wasim who has given Pakistan a much-needed breakthrough. He departs for 22. Afghanistan 168/3 after 30.5 overs. Asghar Afghan joins Shahidi. Afghanistan needs 94 to win.
◙ Shenwari continues to impress: collects two back-to-back boundaries off Shadab who seems to have lost his radar here. Afghanistan now needs just 96 to win. It is 167/2 after 30 overs.
◙ The team 150 comes up courtesy a Shadab wide. Just three off the over. Afghanistan needs 111 runs in 22 overs. Cheeky from Shenwari; plays a paddle sweep for four and runs continue to flow for Afghanistan. Five off that Imad Wasim over. Afghanistan 157/2 after 29 overs.
◙ Imad Wasim comes into the attack, concedes just three. Shadab Khan returns from the other and is greeted by Shahidi with a boundary! A terrific drive through extra cover for four. Shadab's been taken for runs in the last couple of overs; Afghanistan batsmen playing smart cricket at the moment. Eight off that over. Afghanistan 148/2 after 26 overs.
◙ Hashmatullah Shahidi is taking a liking to Hasnain: an exquisite cover-drive is followed by a fierce cut short for two boundaries in the 23rd over. The required run-rate is under 5. Eight coming off Hasnain's fourth over. Afghanistan 135/2 after 23 overs.
◙ What have you done Rahmat? Gets a boundary off Wahab Riaz's first ball before nicking a leg-stump delivery to Sarfaraz the very next ball. Afghanistan two down. Samiullah Shenwari is the new batsman at the crease.
◙ Fetch that. Rahmat brings up the team 100 with a six! And what's more? It's a no-ball from Shadab and Afghanistan gets a free hit. Shadab gets away with a dot. Rahmat is finding his feet now: hammers a straight drive off Hasnain in the very next over. And runs continue to follow. Shahidi joins the fun, ends the over with a four. Afghanistan 115/1 after 19 overs. Afghanistan needs 148 runs to win.
◙ Leg-spinner Shadab Khan in the middle of a terrific spell; just eight coming off his first three overs, and the wicket of Zazai. Good captaincy from Sarfaraz as well : slip and a leg-slip in place for the left-hander.
◙ A quiet passage of play. Shadab Khan and Hafeez trying to make further inroads into the Afghanistan batting, but Rehmat Shah and Shahidi are holding fort for the time being. Afghanistan 90/1 after 15 overs.
◙ GONE! Zazai has been caught in the deep thanks to a brilliant catch by Shoaib Malik. He departs for 49, and Afghanistan has lost its first wicket. It is 80/1 after 11.1 overs. Hashmatullah Shahidi is the new man in. Afghanistan needs 179 runs in 37 overs.
◙ Zazai is going after the bowlers. The southpaw collects 18 off one Riaz over. Afghanistan has raced to 78 off 10 overs. Meanwhile, Rehmat Shah has joined Zazai.
◙ Fifty up for Afghanistan: Hazratullah Zazai slaps one over the covers to get the fifty up for his team in 6.4 overs.
◙ Mohammad Shahzad is in pain as he is seen limping and the physio is on the field. The treatment is done and he is back on strike.
◙ Hazratullah Zazai has literally tore apart Shaheen Afridi as he smacks five boundaries in an over as Afghanistan races away in chase of 263.
◙ We are back for the chase and the Pakistan players are in a huddle. Out come the Afghanistan openers Mohammad Shahzad and Hazratullah Zazai. Mohammad Amir to start proceedings.
◙ Pakistan 262 all out: Babar Azam made a fine century but Afghanistan made a brilliant comeback at the death with Mohammad Nabi being the star bowler with three wickets. Nabi's double blow left Pakistan struggling but Azam and Shoiab Malik forged a partnership that lifted Pakistan. A 290 plus score was on the cards but late flurry of wickets helped Afghanistan pull back things. We will be back for the chase shortly.
◙ WICKET - Babar Azam falls as he departs for a brilliant 112 off 108 deliveries. Dawlat Zadran provides an important breakthrough for Afghanistan. Pakistan 252/7 after 46 overs.
◙ 100 for Babar Azam - This has been a fine century and Pakistan will take a lot of heart from his performance. Timely knock and his form will be vital for Pakistan going into the mega event.
◙ WICKET - Brilliant glovework by Mohammad Shahzad as he packs off Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed. Rashid Khan draws the batsman forward, Sarfaraz couldn't drag his backfoot back in time, loses balance and the keeper does the rest.
◙ WICKET - After getting his team past the 200-run mark, Shoaib Malik perishes while going for a big shot and is caught at the deep. Mohammad Nabi picks his third wicket.
◙ Babar Azam has entered into his nineties with a crisp cut shot as the partnership continues to grow.
◙ Afghanistan definitely need a breakthrough as both batsmen are now well-set and are scoring freely with Babar Azam being the aggressor.
◙ Fifty for Babar Azam - Excellent fifty from Babar Azam and this has been an innings of pure class. He has not only arrested the slide along with Shoaib Malik but also kept Rashid Khan at bay. He holds the key.
◙ Shoaib Malik is the new man in and Pakistan has a lot of work to do as Afghanistan spinners have left them reeling.
◙ WICKET - Rashid Khan strikes and this time the fielder at long-off doesn't drop it as Rashid gets the prized wicket of Mohammad Hafeez. Pakistan 100/4 in 20.1 overs.
◙ Drinks are on the field and the double blow by Mohammad Nabi has slowed down things for Pakistan. Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez are at the crease.
◙ Excellent first over by Rashid as he gives just two runs and Afghanistan is making Pakistan work hard for runs.
◙ Star spinner Rashid Khan into the attack.
◙ WICKET - Nabi gets another one and Pakistan is in trouble. This time he castles Harris Sohail and the ball just clips the stumps, enough for the third umpire to give the batsman out. Pakistan 65/3 after 12 overs.
◙ WICKET - Mohammad Nabi strikes and he knocks out Fakhar Zaman with a gem of a delivery. Pakistan 62/2 after 11.3 overs. Nabi gives it enought flight, the ball angles in after pitching, Fakhar goes for an ambitious drive, misses it and the ball shatters his stumps.
◙ Frustration for Afghanistan as its fielders continue to drop catches. Mohammad Nabi almost had Fakhar Zama's wicket but the fielder at long-on spills the catch as it rolls into the fence.
◙ Babar Azam is the new batsman in.
◙ WICKET - Afghanistan has its first wicket as Hamid Hassan castles Imam-ul-Haq. He was handed a life in the previous delivery but this time Hamid hits the timber. Imam departs for 32. Pakistan 47/1 in 8.3 overs.
◙ Mohammad Nabi into the attack. The Afghan bowlers are not giving anything easy as they bowling tight lines and almost had Imam's wicket as he trapped by Dawlat Zadran. They went for the review after the umpire ruled it not out but it remained umpire's call. Pakistan 42/0 after 8 overs.
◙ Excellent review by Fakhar Zaman and he survives. Afghanistan thought it had its first wicket but it was going down the leg. Mujeeb bowls a carrom ball, Fakhar plays down the wrong line, misses it and gets trapped. The umpire raises his finger but Fakhar went for the review straightaway . Pakistan 23/0 after 4 overs.
◙ Spin into the attack as Mujeeb Ur Rahman comes into the attack.
◙ FOUR - First runs on the board for Pakistan as Imam-Ul-Haq flicks it through the mid-wicket for a boundary. Pakistan 5/0 at the end of 1 Over.
◙ The umpires make their way to the middle and so does the Afghanistan team. While the Afghanistan team is in a huddle, Pakistan openers Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman. Dawlat Zadran to start the proceedings with the new ball. Here we go.
◙ "It's a practice match and we need our batsmen to get some work in. Hopefully we will do well as a team. Bowling was not up to the mark in the England series and we will practice hard and do well," Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed.
◙ "I would've liked to have batted first too. Pitch looks good, dry, should help spinners and we have world class spinners. It's an honour to lead Afghanistan," Gulbadin Naib.
◙ Toss: Pakistan has won the toss and elects to bat first.
◙ Pitch Report: Michael Clarke reckons playing the new ball will be the key but terms the pitch as a batting paradise. Even Wasim Akram, alongside Clarke opines that it will be a good batting track. Toss coming up.
Here is the complete schedule of ICC World Cup 2019 warm-up matches.
As we wait for the toss, dig into our in-depth coverage to stay abreast with the latest happenings in the lead up to the tournament.
◙ Four years ago, two-time World Cup winner Steve Waugh had predicted a bright future for a young fast bowler. Today, the teenager is a vital cog in the Pakistan bowling wheel. This is Mohammad Hasnain's story | Pakistan's 150kph teen sensation
◙ The decision to remove Asghar Afghan as the skipper of Afghanistan, a month before the World Cup, had drawn flak from top cricketers of the country. Shayan Acharya has more| Ahmadzai: Asghar will not give us the World Cup
◙ Inzamam-ul-Haq says it would have been "foolish" to have omitted Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir from Pakistan's Cricket World Cup squad after a "lack of potency" shown in the series defeat to England| Omitting Wahab and Amir would have been foolish: Inzamam
◙ Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi feels that bowling has always been the team’s strength and the return of Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir has given it the much needed balance| Shahid Afridi wants no excuse from balanced Pakistan unit in WC
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