DUBAI: The game-clinching blow of four 6s by Asif Ali in the 19th over has won the hearts of Pakistani cricket lovers that led to the victory of Pakistan against Afghanistan.
Asif Ali came in a tough time when Pakistan needed 24 runs from 12 balls after losing five wickets against Afghanistan.
READ: Asif Ali snatches victory from the jaws of Afghanistan
Asif Ali did it in style as he took just seven balls to smash 25 runs with four sixes and a single, leaving the Afghan paceman Karim Janat and all the other opponent players frustrated.
Ali is now receiving praises globally as Ben Stokes wrote on Twitter.
Harsha Bhogle said, “I had seen Asif Ali a few times before and thought he was a powerful batsman. But this level of hitting is insane.”
The win gave Pakistan a third win in as many games in Group 2 of the Super 12 stages, almost assuring a semi-final place, needing just one more win from their last two games.
Afghanistan scored a fighting 147-6 in their 20 overs with Gulbadin Naib and skipper Mohammad Nabi scoring 35 each.
Skipper Babar Azam anchored Pakistan’s innings with a 47-ball 51 but his dismissal — bowled by spinner Rashid Khan — turned the game on its head in the 17th over with Pakistan needing 26 off the last three overs.
READ: ASIF ALI SMASHES PAKISTAN TO T20 WORLD CUP WIN OVER AFGHANISTAN
Paceman Naveen-ul-Haq conceded just two runs in the 18th over and dismissed Shoaib Malik for 19 but Asif quashed all hopes of an Afghanistan win.
Mujeeb dismissed Mohammad Rizwan (eight) while Nabi accounted for Fakhar Zaman (30) before Rashid’s wickets of Mohammad Hafeez (10) and Babar.
Pakistan kept the same eleven which beat India and New Zealand in their first two matches while Afghanistan were also unchanged from their first game rout of Scotland.
The top two teams from each of the two groups will qualify for the semi-finals.
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