Pakistan opted to bat first on a dry Chepauk pitch against Afghanistan, capitalizing on a crucial powerplay by reaching 56 without losing a wicket after 10 overs. Openers Imam ul Haque and Abdullah Shafique took on the bowlers whenever the opportunity presented itself, but their aggression didn’t quite match that of other title contenders.
Despite having stroke-making openers like Shafique and Fakhar Zaman in their lineup, Pakistan was the only team among the 23 nations playing ODIs in 2023 that hadn’t cleared the boundary in the early fielding restrictions.
However, their long-awaited moment came in the fifth over, much to the delight of the dugout. Naveen-ul-Haq delivered his third over of the opening spell and Shafique responded by gracefully dispatching the ball into the stands after initially finding the boundary.
It marked Pakistan’s first six in the powerplay in 23 games and their first in 2023, prompting enthusiastic applause from the team led by an exuberant Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi.
— Young Gopal (@younggopal467) October 23, 2023
— Young Gopal (@younggopal467) October 23, 2023
The drought was finally broken, and Pakistan wasted no time doubling their six-count as Shafique confidently danced down the track against Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the eighth over, elegantly sending the ball over mid-off and into the boundary.
