Afghanistan left their marks on history as they secured their first-ever victory in men's ODIs against Pakistan in the 22nd match of the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023. This remarkable achievement followed their previous win over England, the defending champions, in the ongoing ICC tournament. Pakistan's captain, Babar Azam, played a significant role, contributing 74 runs off 92 balls to help Pakistan reach a total of 282/7. Afghanistan executed a clinical chase, taking advantage of some fielding errors by Pakistan, and ultimately clinched the match with a commanding eight-wicket victory and an over to spare.
Amidst the celebration of cricket fans, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan joined Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan on the cricket field for a spirited 'bhangra' dance following their historic win over Pakistan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Irfan, currently working as a commentator for the official broadcasters, added to the post-match excitement, delighting spectators and viewers worldwide.
Irfan later took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express his admiration and appreciation for Rashid Khan's outstanding performance in the match.
"Rasid khan fulfilled his promise and I fulfilled mine. Well done guys ICC @rashidkhan_19, " read Irfan's tweet.
Afghanistan With Four Points After Five Games In World Cup 2023
Afghanistan's win over Pakistan only strengthened their status as a rising team and a serious foce to reckon with after their earlier upset over England. This remarkable victory pushed Afghanistan up to the sixth spot on the points table, while Pakistan held onto the fifth position with four points and a net run rate of -0.400. Pakistan now face a critical scenario, requiring victories in all their remaining matches to maintain their chances of securing a spot in the semi-finals.
Pakistan will remain in Chennai for their next challenge which will be the formidable South Africa in their sixth fixture of tournament on Friday (October 27). On the other hand, Afghanistan are set to face Sri Lanka in their next match of the World Cup 2023 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune on Monday (October 30).