Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan celebrated alongside Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan after their historic victory against Pakistan at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai.
Afghanistan defeated Pakistan by eight wickets, marking their second win in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 and first in ODIs over the Men in Green.
After the match, Pathan, who is working as a broadcaster, joined Rashid on the field to do bhangra and subsequently shared a message for him on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
“Rashid Khan fulfilled his promise and I fulfilled mine. Well done guys @ICC @rashidkhan_19,” Pathan wrote.
Meanwhile, Irfan Pathan was trolled for his pity act since he is working as a broadcaster.
The decisive victory propelled Afghanistan to secure the sixth position on the tournament's points table, leaving Pakistan in fifth place, although with a superior net run rate.
The match began with Pakistan taking to the batting pitch and managing to post a fairly decent score of 282 for the loss of seven wickets. The team's captain, Babar Azam, and the opener, Abdullah Shafique, led the charge, each contributing significant half-centuries. Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed also made noteworthy contributions to the team's total, both scoring a solid 40 runs each.
However, the hero of the first innings for Afghanistan was 18-year-old Noor Ahmad. Making his debut in the World Cup, the young bowler delivered a remarkable performance, taking three crucial wickets and conceding just 49 runs during his allotted 10 overs.
When it was Afghanistan's turn to respond, the team put on a fantastic display. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran established an impressive 130-run partnership, setting the tone for the rest of the innings. Gurbaz scored a brisk 65 runs in just 53 deliveries, while Zadran narrowly missed what could have been his first ODI World Cup century, making 87 runs in 113 balls.
To further solidify their chase, Rahmat Shah and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi combined for a superb, unbeaten 94-run partnership, ultimately leading Afghanistan to victory.
- Irfan Pathan
