In a thrilling display of skill and resilience, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan captivated the crowd in Kabul during the ongoing Shpageeza Cricket League. Despite a significant batting collapse by the Speen Ghar Tigers, Rashid’s unorthodox shots, including a no-look flick and a helicopter shot, kept the team in contention against the Amo Sharks.
The Tigers faced a daunting challenge as they were set a revised target of 139 runs from 12 overs. The match began disastrously for the Tigers, with Fazalhaq Farooqi wreaking havoc with the new ball. He dismissed Numan Shah and Samiullah Shinwari for golden ducks, while Imran and Tariq Stanikzai fell for single-digit scores. Azmatullah Omarzai added to the woes by taking the wicket of opener Hassan Eisakhil, leaving the Tigers reeling at 20/5 within just 2.4 overs.
Rashid Khan’s Explosive Performance
Amidst the chaos, Ikram Alikhil entered as an impact substitute and provided valuable support to Rashid. Together, they began to revive the run chase, with Rashid leading the charge. In a stunning display of power-hitting, Rashid hit Mohammad Gul Alizai for three consecutive sixes in the ninth over, reaching his half-century in just 25 balls—the fastest fifty of the league. He ultimately scored 53 runs off 26 balls, including three fours and six sixes, before losing his wicket on the next delivery.
Following Rashid’s dismissal, Arab Gul hit a six, and in the subsequent over, Alikhil also contributed with a six off spinner Qais Ahmad. However, the Sharks’ bowlers proved too strong, with Farooqi returning to complete his five-wicket haul, dismissing Zahir Khan for a golden duck. Alikhil remained unbeaten with 31 runs off 23 balls, but the Tigers could only manage 112/9, losing the match by 26 runs according to the DLS method. This defeat marked the Tigers’ sixth loss in seven games, placing them at the bottom of the points table.
Amo Sharks Set a Competitive Target
Earlier in the match, the Amo Sharks, led by captain Omarzai, won the toss and opted to bat first. They started strongly, with Rashid breaking the partnership by dismissing Abdul Malik, who scored 26 runs off 20 balls. Omarzai contributed a quick 19 runs from 13 balls before being dismissed LBW by Gul. 4
The highlight of the Sharks’ innings was an impressive 89-run partnership between opener Zubaid Akbari and Shahidullah. Akbari was eventually bowled by Zahir on the final ball of the 17th over, having scored a blistering 82 runs off 45 balls, which included seven sixes and three fours. Shahidullah finished the innings unbeaten on 34 runs off 24 balls, helping the Sharks post a total of 166/3.
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