Leeds, Jun 29 (UNI) Fine bowling spell from Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi 4/47, Wahab Riaz 2/29, Imad Wasim 2/48 restricted Afghanistan to 227/9 in 50 overs in the ICC Cricket World Cup on Saturday.
A good knock by Asghar Afghan 42 off 35 ( 3 fours, 2 sixes) and Najibullah Zadran 42 off 54 ( 6 fours) and then Rahmat Shah 35 off 43 (5 fours) helped Afghanistan reach a respectable total of 227.
Earlier, Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat with openers Rahmat Shah and skipper Gulbadin Naib contributing 27 runs for first wicket.
In the 5th over Gulbadin Naib was given not out in Shaheen Shah Afridi's spell when he edged the ball to which Umpire Nigel Llong favoured the batsman, but Sarfaraz went for review and Ultra-edge showed a clearspike when ball passed bat however, Llong changed his decision and skipper had to walk. Gulbadin scored 15 off 12 (3 fours).
In the same over of next spell Hashmatullah Shahidi went out for a duck with Shaheen picking his second wicket.
Afghanistan lost its second wicket at 27. Then Rahmat Shah and Ikram Aikhil added 30 runs for third wicket, but Rahmat Shah kept scoreboard running but was stopped at 35 off 43 ( 5 fours) when caught by Babar Azam in Imad Wasim's spell.
Asghar Afghan and Ikram Alikhil played a good innings of 64 run stand for fourth wicket. Asghar after scoring a good knock of 45 off 35 ( 3fours, 2 six) went down in 26th over in Shadab Khan's spell. Afghanistan fourth wicket fell at 121.
Wickets kept tumbling down for Afghanistan in form of Ikram Alikhil 27th over (24), Mohammad Nabi 37th over (16), Najibullah Zadran 45th over (42 off 54) 6 fours, Rashid Khan 47th over (8), Hamid Hassan 49th over (1).
In the last over Mujeeb Ur Rahman scored 6 runs by smashing one four and then 2 runs in Mohammad Amir's spell taking Afghanistan to a respectable score 227/9 in 50 overs.
Samiullah Shinwari 19 off 32 (1 four) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman 7 off 9 ( 1 four) remained unbeaten.
Shaheen Shah Afridi 4/47, Wahab Riaz 2/29, Imad Wasim 2/48, Shadab Khan 1/44 were the wicket-takers for Pakistan.
UNI XC NC1854