After posting a massive 200/4 in this final Group D clash in Chennai, Afghanistan has rattled Canada by taking early wickets and having Canada down and out inside the first half of the game. After Canada started quickly off the blocks, Afghanistan hit back with regular wickets and now are bossing the game at this stage of the game.
Afghanistan strike thrice to put Canada on the back foot in the powerplay
Chasing 201 for the win. Yuvraj Samra and captain Dilpreet Bajwa came out to open for Canada while Mujeeb Ur Rahman had the ball in hand for Afghanistan. Yuvraj crunched the first ball past deep backward point for a boundary. Yuvraj smashed the ball again by getting it through the covers for a boundary. Azmatullah Omarzai had ball in hand from the other end. Bajwa took Omarzai on and lofted it inside out over covers for the maximum. Yuvraj survived a huge scare for a run out at the non-striker’s end as he got his bat just in time.
Bajwa then took on Omarzai and whipped it over deep midwicket for the maximum. Mujeeb continued and got rid of Bajwa for 13 off 7 balls with 2 sixes to his name. Mujeeb bowled short and around the off-stump. Bajwa backed away and looked to go inside out over extra cover attempting to slash it but missed. The ball slide under his angled bat and went onto crash into the middle stump. Navneet Dhaliwal walked out to the middle next.
Omarzai continued as Yuvraj smashed the ball by slicing it over backward point for a boundary. Omarzai hit back and got rid of Dhaliwal for a duck. Omarzai bowled a back of a length delivery wide outside the off-stump. Dhaliwal backed away and tried to cut it. But he ended up slicing it straight to the deep backward point fielder where Rasooli made no mistake. Harsh Thaker came out to bat next. Mujeeb returned and bowled a miserly over.
Mohammad Nabi came to bowl the final over of powerplay. Nabi struck and got rid of Yuvraj Samra for 17 off 14 balls with 3 fours to his name. Nabi flighted the ball and around off-stump from around the wicket. Samra got forward and looked to flick it away but played against the turn. He got a leading edge that flew to the backward point fielder where Omarzai backtracked a bit and took the catch. Drinks was taken at 33/3 in 5.2 overs.
Nicholas Kirton came out to bat next and got off the mark. Canada were struggling at 34/3 in 6 overs with Thaker unbeaten on 2 off 6 balls and Kirton unbeaten on 1 off 4 balls.
Afghanistan chip away at wickets and tighten the screws on Canada
Abdullah Ahmadzai came into the attack post the powerplay as Kirton took him on by smashing it past mid-off for a boundary. Kirton again got across and beat mid-off for a boundary. Nabi continued and he removed Kirton for 10 off 12 balls with 2 fours to his name. He flighted the full ball around the off-stump. Kirton took a step forward and looked to take on the bowler. He bowled a lofted shot downtown and got beaten in the flight as the ball turns away. He got a top edge as the ball flew high in the air to long-on where Ibrahim took the catch. Shreyas Movva came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
Rashid Khan came into the attack next. He removed Movva in his first over as he dismissed him for 2 off 6 balls. Rashid bowled full and around the middle stump from behind the crease. Movva got down and picked it up and swept it. He got the connection right but played it straight to the deep backward square leg fielder where Ahmadzai ran forward to drive and grab the catch. Saad Bin Zafar came out to bat next.
Ziaur Rahman came into the attack to bowl the 10th over as Harsh thrashed the ball away by slicing it over backward point for a boundary. The 50 came up in the 10th overs after 9.2 overs for Canada. Thaker took on Sharifi and pumped it down the ground for the maximum. Canada reached 60/5 in the chase of 201 at the halfway stage of the chase with Harsh Thaker unbeaten on 16 off 15 balls and Saad Bin Zafar unbeaten on 1 off 1 ball.
What Lies Ahead
Afghanistan are all over Canada as they have managed to take 5 wickets in the innings defending 201 and Canada with all to do at this stage. They need a miracle from lower middle order to rescue them and make a match out of this. Advantage Afghanistan for sure at this stage.
Also Read:Â ICC T20 WC 2026: Ibrahim Zadran Powers Afghanistan To 200/4