Afghanistan star spinner Rashid Khan on Friday became the fastest bowler to take 100 wickets in T20Is. Rashid achieved the feat during the match against Pakistan in the ongoing T20 World Cup. The Afghanistan spinner dismissed Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez to reach the milestone. Shakib Al Hasan, Lasith Malinga and Tim Southee are the players who have taken 100 T20I wickets. Rashid picked his 100th wicket in only his 53rd match as he broke Malinga’s record. The Sri Lanka bowler had picked his 100th wicket in his 76th game.
Though, Rashid’s heroics with the ball was not enough to stop Pakistan from registering a third consecutive win in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
Asif Ali smashed four sixes in the penultimate over to help Pakistan achieve a hard-fought five-wicket win over Afghanistan in Dubai on Friday.
With Pakistan needing 24 runs off the final two overs, Asif lifted paceman Karim Janat’s first, third, fifth and sixth balls over the boundary to help Pakistan overhaul a tricky 148-run target.
Asif finished with 25 off just seven balls with four sixes and a single, leaving Janat and all the other Afghan players frustrated.
The win gave Pakistan a third win in as many games in Group 2 of the Super 12 stages, almost assuring a semi-final place, needing just one more win from their last two games.
Afghanistan scored a fighting 147-6 in their 20 overs with Gulbadin Naib and skipper Mohammad Nabi each scoring 35.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam was full of praise for Asif.
“I was very confident Asif would get us out of any trouble we find ourselves in,” said Babar, whose team tops the Group 2 with six points in three matches.
“Asif’s hitting was clean and that’s why we selected him.”
Nabi was equally appreciative of Asif’s hitting.
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“We didn’t start really well but the total on the board was decent but maybe not enough, only because of Asif,” said Nabi.
(With ANI and AFP Inputs)
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