Afghanistan continue impressive tournament with dominant win over Namibia

There was a single scare for Afghanistan when Rahmanullah Gurbaz landed awkwardly while diving to take a catch, but otherwise an impressive campaign rolls on for Mohammad Nabi’s men

Abu Dhabi: Afghanistan 160-5, Namibia 98-9 - Afghanistan win by 62 runs

Scorecard

Afghanistan continued to impress at the T20 World Cup, sending off former captain Asghar Afghan into his international retirement with a comprehensive victory over Namibia.

Afghan announced ahead of play that this would be the final game in an international career that has taken him from World Cricket League Division Five all the way to full ICC membership and multiple World Cups.

He departs with his country more competitive on the global stage than ever before. They were dominant from the outset against a Namibian side that has impressed throughout this tournament, with Hazratullah Zazai and Mohammad Shahzad taking the associate nation’s opening bowlers apart through the powerplay.

Zazai made 33, before Shahzad fell for 45 – with JJ Smit and Ruben Trumpelmann claiming important wickets, before Nicol Loftie-Eaton impressed with his leg spin, dismissing both Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Najibullah Zadran, both of whom made half centuries against Scotland earlier in the competition.

Fittingly, it was Afghan and Mohammad Nabi – who have played together for almost two decades, having represented Afghanistan Under-17s in 2004 – who ensured Afghanistan retained their early momentum. Nabi smashed 32 off just 17 balls, with Afghan’s final innings as an international cricketer a knock of 31 off 23 deliveries, before he reverse-ramped Trumpelmann to short third man.

^{Asghar Afghan was given a guard of honour by his teammates}

In reply, Namibia were never allowed to get going, even without Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who was absent through injury.

Naveen-ul-Haq accounted for openers Craig Williams and Michael van Lingen, but star of the show was Hamid Hassan, the veteran seamer who hadn’t played a T20I for five years until coming in as a replacement for Mujeeb. He ended with figures of 3 for 9 from his four overs, including a rasping yorker at pace to dismiss Gerhard Erasmus, Namibia’s impressive captain.

Remarkably, only a single wicket fell to spin – this was the first time that Afghanistan had taken eight wickets with seam in a single T20I innings, with Gulbadin Naib also picking up a pair.

David Wiese top-scored with 26, but he was never allowed to properly unleash, treating former Sussex teammate Rashid Khan with plenty of respect as wickets fell around him.

There was a single scare for Afghanistan when Gurbaz landed awkwardly while diving to take a catch, but otherwise an impressive campaign rolls on for Nabi’s men. They will have to do the rest without Afghan, though, whose fine international career has come to an end.

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