Afghanistan's evolution in white-ball cricket has been nothing short of remarkable. Over the past few years, they have consistently delivered thrilling performances against top-tier teams in multi-nation events. Recall the 2018 Asia Cup, a memorable match against India, marking MS Dhoni's last appearance as captain. Afghanistan had secured a dramatic tie. Fast forward to Tuesday, at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, during the 2023 Asia Cup group stage's final showdown, Afghanistan once again showcased their cricketing prowess, this time against the defending champions, Sri Lanka. While the final scorecard displays a narrow two-run victory for Sri Lanka, the outcome could have swung either way, leaving Afghanistan heartbroken due to a glaring miscalculation and communication breakdown.
For Afghanistan, the Asia Cup clash with Sri Lanka was a make-or-break encounter. Having suffered a heavy defeat against Bangladesh in their opening match, Afghanistan needed a convincing win, chasing down the target in less than 40 overs, to bolster their chances based on the Net Run Rate (NRR). The scenario was clear: achieving this feat would propel Afghanistan above the reigning champions in the NRR standings and secure their spot in the Super Four stage.
Sri Lanka, led by Kusal Mendis's stellar 92, posted a competitive total of 291 for eight after choosing to bat first. This set the stage for Hashmatullah Shahidi's side, with the equation boiling down to the necessity of chasing down the target within 37.1 overs to secure a place in the Super Four.
Despite a shaky start from the top order, the middle order, inspired by Mohammad Nabi's explosive 32-ball 65, kept Afghanistan's hopes alive. Shahidi himself contributed a steady 59 off 66 deliveries, while Rahmat Shah chipped in with a vital 40-ball 45. Until Nabi's heroic display, Afghanistan remained in contention, needing 90 runs from 64 balls. Subsequent cameos from Karim Janat and Najibullah Zadran kept the momentum alive, with the ultimate responsibility falling on Rashid Khan's shoulders. Rashid delivered, smashing three boundaries in the first four balls of the 37th over.
With just three runs required off the final delivery, the spotlight turned to Mujeeb Ur Rahman, but he was unable to clear the boundary, holing out at long-on. Rashid's despair was evident as he knelt in disappointment, mirroring the somber expressions of his teammates in the dressing room.
However, the story didn't end there…
A startling revelation emerged: a potential miscommunication from the dressing room or an analytical error. Afghanistan could have still advanced to the Super Four if they had managed to score a six in one of the next three deliveries. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness of this second chance was evident in the way the last man, Fazalhaq Farooqi, approached the next three balls. He played two defensive strokes, one of which was against a loppy low full toss, before being trapped leg before wicket (lbw).
Rashid Khan's disappointment deepened, not due to his team's miscalculation, but rather the dramatic turn of fate that denied them a win in Lahore. Surprisingly, the skipper was not questioned about this development during the post-match interaction.
Hashmatullah Shahidi commented, "I'm very disappointed about it. We fought well and gave our 100%. Proud of the team for the way we played and batted. Over the last couple of years, we've shown promise in the ODI format. We are still learning a lot, and there were many positives in this tournament."
