Afghanistan comebacks after massive 1st ODI defeat against Kenya
Afghanistan pocket a 4 wickets win in the 27th over of the 50-over second encounter in the ongoing home series in Kenya. The visitors went on to chase the 139 target slow and steady, but like the famous saying goes, “slow and steady always wins
the race”.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Kenya-c752 elected to bat after winning the toss in the 2nd ODI against the Afghani team. The Asian associate team was dominated in the 1st ODI at Gymkhana Club Ground, Nairobi, as the Kenyans won the match by 92 runs.
Not to forget, that the win was well assisted through the bowling power of Kenyan bowlers, namely, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hamid-Hassan-c1524 and As, who successfully crumbled the middle order of the opposition for a modest total of 88 runs in just the 27th over of the 50
over game.
Today’s match was well poised and planned by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Afghanistan-c745 as a bowling team effort was seen, with support from the fielding, which allowed the visitors to secure two run outs, to the eight wickets taken by their modest yet affective bowling attack.
Besides a few good starts at the top of the Kenyan batting line-up, the middle order collapsed in quick succession. Not a single hosting batsman was able to capitalize on their batting start-ups, which is extremely disappointing based on the hosting team’s
massive win in the 1st ODI. Their confident level was on a high, and vice versa the opposition’s confidence was shattered.
On the contrary, Afghani bowlers bowled economically, and kept things tidy for the hosts. Debutant http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Izatullah-Dawlatzai-c1609’s 6.16 runs per over were the most runs given in comparison to the other five bowlers used by the Afghani skipper, who went for a maximum
of 3.00 runs per over. Making scoring runs harder and harder for the hosts eventually paid off, as they lost all wickets in quick successions except the second wicket stand of 31 runs.
The Kenyan batsmen crumbled and gave wickets away on regular intervals, which led to another low scoring game in the ODI series.
However, the Afghanis also weren’t as effective with the bat as compared to their opposition batsmen, as they lost the two openers in quick time. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Noor-Ali-Zadran-c2127 was retired hurt with the total at 14 in the 2nd over of the match.
It was the efforts of Mohammad Shahzad’s 37 from 46 balls and the much needed match winning half-century from Asghar Stanikzai, which led to the Afghani victory.
Not to forget, that the Asian team brought in two debutants in the ODI, namely, Abdullah and Izatullah Dawlatzai. Dawlatzai’s bowling abilities paid off as he was expensive initially but took the Kenyan opener by surprise. His two wickets made a huge difference
in the Kenyan total, as they could have easily given a much more threatening target to chase.
Arguably, one might advocate the fact that it was a combined team effort from the visitors point of view, but http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Asghar-Stanikzai-c1094’s match winning half-century, in which the talent struck 6 boundaries, and a smashed 3 huge sixes.
The hosts will go on to the next game with a lot of planning, and they need to come-up and raise the level of cricket. On the other hand, the Afghani’s new team combination has paid off and they need to focus in keeping their wickets intact and not to lose
un-called for wickets.
The positive’s of this game were surely the mere fact that these associate countries have started to play highly competitive cricket, and above all, have started to give their cricketing viewers some exciting cricket to watch.
One can only hope for more exciting cricket from associate countries. As in terms of cricketing sense and ability, they have a lot more to give to the cricketing World in the international arena.
Tags: