T20 World Cup 2024: Afghanistan register fourth biggest tournament win against Uganda

Afghanistan recorded the fourth-largest win in T20 World Cup history after beating Uganda by 125 runs at Providence on Monday. In the Group C fixture, T20 World Cup debutants Uganda were bundled out for 58 runs in reply to Afghanistan’s 183/5.

The three biggest wins in T20 World Cup history have come courtesy of Sri Lanka (beat Kenya by 172 runs), South Africa and Afghanistan (beat Scotland by 130 runs).

Fazalhaq Farooqi produced a fiery spell after Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran struck half-centuries in a solid opening partnership. Farooqi registered figures of 5/9 from his 4 overs and found support from Naveen-ul-Haq (2/4) and Rashid Khan (2/12).

”The kind of start we wanted as a team. It does not matter who we play, it is about the mindset,” skipper and country’s biggest cricket icon Rashid Khan said after the match.

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”The hard work we have done in the last few weeks, the way the openers started and the way our bowlers bowled – it was a great overall team effort,” Rashid, who polished off the tail, added.

”That is the beauty of this team. We have so many options, making it easy as a captain,” the world’s premier T20 spinner gushed.

Uganda never got going in the chase, losing 5 wickets in the powerplay overs. Rashid got into the act to help in wiping out the tail but the evening belonged to Farooqi for his maiden fifer in T20Is. Farooqi was twice on the brink of claiming a hat-trick in a lethal show with the ball.

After being hit for a four off his first delivery, he bowled a brilliant in-swinger which clipped Ronak Patel’s bat before crashing onto the stumps. He then trapped Roger Mukasa’s leg before the wicket with a similar delivery.

”I have missed it (getting the hat-trick) a few times (smiles). Something that is not under my control and if I get a chance again, I will try to get that hat-trick,” Farooqi said while collecting his Player of the Match award.

”I kept it simple and wanted to hit the wickets. Playing franchise cricket helps you improve and helps on the big stage as well.

”Playing with so many big players, it helps in dealing with pressure and in bowling in the right areas,” said Farooqi, who has played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in previous IPL editions.

Put into bat, Afghanistan had an innings of two halves. The first half belonged to openers Ibrahim Zadran (70 off 46 balls) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (76 off 45 balls) who stitched a 154-run partnership – the second-biggest opening wicket stand in T20 World Cup history.

Gurbaz assumed the role of the aggressor first as he smacked the second ball of the innings for six. Zadran quickly followed suit, hitting 4 consecutive boundaries in the sixth over off Dinesh Nakrani.

Gurbaz, who hit 4 boundaries and as many sixes, raced to his fifty off just 28 balls in the 9th over. Zadran, who sent the ball to the fence nine times and over it once, reached his half-century in the 12th over.

At that point, after 14 overs, Afghanistan were 152/0 and cruising along towards a big total. But Uganda did well to apply the brakes with regular wickets with Zadran and Gurbaz falling in quick succession.

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Afghanistan mustered only 27 runs from the last 5 overs and no boundaries came in the last 6 overs.

Uganda, the second lowest-ranked team in the tournament, modified their plans, bowled tighter to the stumps and didn’t give any width to the Afghan batters. Brian Masaba (2/21) led the turnaround and was the pick of the bowlers. Cosmas Kyewuta (2/25) also popped up with 2 scalps, with Alpesh Ramjani getting the prized wicket of Gurbaz.

Afghanistan’s next challenge will be far tougher against a formidable New Zealand side. “Big game for us. It is about keeping things simple,” said Rashid.