Afghanistan decided to bat first, and after a much-improved show with the bat powered by the captain, they posted a mammoth target of 255, which was chased down by Uganda with a 125-run loss. Overcoming their notorious first-match jinx, courtesy of outstanding debutant performances by openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, along with Fazalhaq Farooqi’s ferocious left-arm pace onslaught, Afghanistan triumphed over the new kids on the block.
Gurbaz blew the lid off the Scorchers with 76 off 45, and Zadran, hitting 70 off 46, set the stage with an eye-popping 154-run stand for the opening of the T20 World Cup. That fluent knock helped Afghanistan set a competitive target of 183/5 after Zulfiqar banked on the toss and decided to bat.
Farooqi bowled brilliantly and scalped the Ugandan batting order, taking 5 wickets on debut and trying 9overs to dismiss the debutants for a meager 58 in 16overs. The left-arm pacer was always dangerous and bowled a delivery pair that almost had a hat-trick on two occasions.
That’s the kind of start that the team wanted…it does not matter who we are playing against, it is all about attitude,” said Afghanistan’s captain, Rashid Khan, who added spice to his bowling and wrapped up the Indian lower order.
Farooqi, who played under pressure to earn ‘Player of the Match’ was optimistic that playing franchise cricket made him accustomed to the stage.
“Staying fit through franchise cricket and playing in stages also assist when it comes to performing on the larger platform,” as he mentioned, he has benefited from bowling with many senior players on the team and handling pressure while bowling.
The powerhouse performance has put Afghanistan in a good position for the forthcoming game against the mighty New Zealand. Rashid Khan, for his side, spoke about the game ahead of the match. “Big game for us. It is about keeping things simple,” he said.
