Table of Contents
In the thrilling conclusion to the Afghanistan v Pakistan series as part of the Sri Lanka 2023 tour, Pakistan emerged victorious once again, securing a 59-run win over Afghanistan in a closely contested 3rd ODI held at R.Premadasa Stadium on Saturday.
Mohammad Rizwan drive Pakistan to a competitive total
Opting to bat after winning the toss, Pakistan set a target of 269 runs for Afghanistan. The top-order batsmen laid the foundation for their innings. Babar Azam‘s well-crafted 60 and Mohammad Rizwan‘s composed 67 were the standout performances. Agha Salman‘s quick 38 lower down the order further bolstered Pakistan’s total. The Pakistan innings concluded at 268/8 after 50 overs.
Bowling wise, Afghanistan’s Fareed Malik and Gulbadin Naib showcased their skills, each taking two crucial wickets. Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman also contributed by taking a wicket each.
Also WATCH: Rahmanullah Gurbaz hits the bull’s eye to leave Saud Shakeel disheartened in Afghanistan vs Pakistan 3rd ODI
Shadab Khan sizzle with the ball
In pursuit of 269 runs, Afghanistan’s batting unit faced a challenging task against Pakistan’s bowling attack. Mujeeb Ur Rahman played a stunning knock of 64 runs off 37 balls, including 5 fours and 5 sixes, injecting excitement into the chase. However, Afghanistan’s batting struggled to build significant partnerships, and the team was eventually bowled out for 209 runs in 48.4 overs.
Pakistan’s bowlers displayed great discipline, with Shadab Khan leading the charge by claiming 3 wickets. Shaheen Afridi and Faheem Ashraf took 2 wickets each, while Mohammad Nawaz managed to secure 2 wickets as well.
Pakistan’s collective efforts with both bat and ball resulted in a 59-run victory, cementing their dominance in the series with a clean sweep. This win marked Pakistan’s third consecutive triumph against Afghanistan in the ODI series.
Also READ: Tim Paine makes an assertion on David Warner’s role in Australia’s ODI World Cup 2023 line up
Series Detail:
The series saw Pakistan’s consistent excellence:
- First ODI: Pakistan won by 142 runs.
- Second ODI: Pakistan won by 1 wicket.
- Third ODI: Pakistan won by 59 runs.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
1️⃣6️⃣5️⃣ runs in three innings including two half-centuries ✨@ImamUlHaq12 is the player of the series for his solid performances 🏆#AFGvPAK | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/K9J45KqESt
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 26, 2023
Pakistan Zindabad 🇵🇰 Congratulations on the series win by 3-0 boys and becoming the number one ranked side in the world 💚 Have to carry this momentum in the Asia Cup now and InshAllah win that too.#IamGAME #Cricket #Pakistan #PAKvAFG pic.twitter.com/SgH5ogTh6Q
— Hassan Ali 🇵🇰 (@RealHa55an) August 26, 2023
Congratulations Pakistan for a clean sweep series victory.
And back on top in ODI rankings.
Zabardast boys!!— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) August 26, 2023
We have a new No.1 in the @MRFWorldwide ICC Men's ODI Team Rankings 🤩#AFGvPAK pic.twitter.com/VQEZxrSxxH
— ICC (@ICC) August 26, 2023
Pakistan defeated Afghanistan in the 3rd ODI 💪#AFGvPAK #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/snqwgRgYeP
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) August 26, 2023
Congratulations to Another Series Win for Babar and Co. Happy Moment for The Pakistani Nation🇵🇰♥️.#BabarAzam #PAKvAFG #AFGvPAK #PAKvsAFG pic.twitter.com/yFSxflvKw5
— Shaharyar Ejaz 🏏 (@SharyOfficial) August 26, 2023
Babar Azam as Pakistan's ODI captain: 29 played, 20 won, 68.96 win ratio.
The best captain in history! Alhamdullilah ❤️❤️ #AFGvPAK pic.twitter.com/YF0XApwSET
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) August 26, 2023
Muhammad Rizwan is Player of the Match for his crucial 67 runs ♥️#AFGvPAK #PAKvAFG #PakistanCricket pic.twitter.com/1dxZEcFWL0
— King Babar Azam Army (@kingbabararmy) August 26, 2023
Shadab Khan be like :
WE ARE NO 1 ODI TEAM💯❤️ pic.twitter.com/I99RlUEVEp
— Ehtisham Siddique (@iMShami_) August 26, 2023
RESULT | PAKISTAN WON BY 59 RUNS 🚨
AfghanAtalan fought hard in the 2nd inning but it wasn't meant to be, as Pakistan won the game by 59 runs to win the #SuperColaCup three-match ODI Series 3-0. 👍
Congratulations @TheRealPCB! #AfghanAtalan | #AFGvPAK | #ByaMaidanGato pic.twitter.com/TOtP6TG9Tn
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) August 26, 2023