Following Afghanistan’s remarkable 69-run victory over England at the World Cup, former all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has issued a warning to Pakistan, cautioning them to prepare for a formidable challenge from the Afghan team in their upcoming fixture.
Pakistan vs Afghanistan Clash in World Cup
The match between Pakistan and Afghanistan is scheduled for October 23 in Chennai.
Concerns About Facing Afghanistan
Abdul Razzaq expressed his belief that Pakistan may feel intimidated by Afghanistan, especially given the previous encounters between the two teams.
“Over the last two years, I think we have been scared of Afghanistan. Afghanistan lost to Pakistan a couple of times, despite being in a winning position, due to Naseem Shah. These things indicate that they are a good team,” Razzaq stated.
He also highlighted Afghanistan’s impressive performance against India and their strong batting against England. “Afghanistan’s confidence was boosted when they played against India and batted well against their bowling, especially considering that it is better than that of England,” he added.
Upcoming Matches for Pakistan and Afghanistan
Before facing Afghanistan, Pakistan will play against Australia on October 20.
The recent upset occurred at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, as Afghanistan defeated England by 69 runs. This marked Afghanistan’s second-ever win in World Cup history, with the last victory taking place in 2015 against Scotland in New Zealand. It was also the first time Afghanistan managed to triumph over England in an ODI match.
Afghanistan’s Strong Performance
Rahmanullah Gurbaz provided Afghanistan with a solid start, with the team reaching 75-0 in the first nine overs. Gurbaz showcased his batting prowess, scoring 80 off 57 balls, including 12 boundaries. His partnership with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi laid the foundation for a competitive total of 284 runs.
In response, England struggled and was all out for 215 in 40.3 overs. Harry Brook was the only English batter to make a substantial contribution, scoring 66 off 61 balls. Rashid and Mujeeb took three wickets each for Afghanistan.
Challenging Times for England
England captain Jos Buttler faces a tough situation as his team has only secured one win in three matches. They will face an in-form South Africa in their next match on October 21 in Mumbai.
On the other hand, Afghanistan is set to take on the table-toppers, New Zealand, on October 18 in Chennai, where their world-class spin attack could prove advantageous on a spinning wicket.
