Opener Rehmanullah Gurbaz’s brilliant innings of 151 helped Afghanistan set Pakistan a target of 301 runs in the second ODI played in Hambantota, Sri Lanka on Thursday.
Gurbaz was on song in the second match where Afghanistan bounced back from a humiliating 142-run defeat in the three-match series opener to finish on 300-5.
After deciding to bat first, Afghanistan’s opening pair of Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran scored 227 runs together. This was Afghanistan’s second highest ODI partnership.
Toss
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first in the second ODI of the three-match series against Pakistan in Hambantota on Thursday.
Riyad Hasan and Shahid Kamal have been included in the team from Afghanistan in place of Rehmat Shah and Azmatullah Umarzai who retired hurt in the first ODI.
There is no change compared to Pakistan.
Pacer Haris Rauf’s five-wicket haul helped Pakistan win the first ODI by a huge margin of 142 runs on Tuesday to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Chasing a target of 202, Afghanistan were bowled out for just 59 runs in 19.2 overs, their second-lowest score in ODIs.
It was Haris Rauf’s first five-wicket haul in Pakistan colors as he took 5-18 in 6.2 overs.
The third and final match of the series will be played in Colombo on August 26.
Playing XI
Afghanistan: Rehmanullah Gurbaz (wicket), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hasan, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Ikram Ali Khel, Muhammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Abdul Rahman, Shahid Kamal, Mujeebur Rehman.
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Osama Mir, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf.
