Afghan Fan Misbehaves With Pakistan Speedster Shaheen Afridi in 2nd T20I
An incident marred the second T20I between Afghanistan and Pakistan in Dublin, as an Afghan fan directed inappropriate behavior towards Pakistani speedster Shaheen Afridi. The fan’s use of foul language prompted Afridi to involve security personnel, resulting in the fan’s removal from the ground. Despite this unfortunate incident, Pakistan emerged victorious, successfully chasing down Ireland’s competitive total of 193/7 with more than three overs to spare.
The key to Pakistan’s triumph was a stellar partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman, who shared a remarkable 140-run stand. Rizwan’s unbeaten 75* and Zaman’s aggressive 78 set the stage for Pakistan’s emphatic victory, ultimately led by their standout skipper, Babar Azam. With this win, Azam notched his record-breaking 45th T20I triumph as captain, cementing his status as one of the game’s premier leaders.
Azam’s achievement places him five victories ahead of second-placed Aaron Finch, underscoring his dominance in the realm of T20I captaincy. Notably, Azam surpassed Uganda’s Brian Masaba for the most wins by a captain in men’s T20Is. The illustrious company includes Eoin Morgan, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Asghar Afghan, highlighting Azam’s elite status among cricket’s top leaders.
Meanwhile, Shaheen Afridi etched his name in history by reaching the milestone of 300 wickets in international cricket during the match. His impactful performance, which included figures of 3/40, played a crucial role in Pakistan’s victory. Despite Azam’s early dismissal, Rizwan and Zaman’s explosive batting ensured Pakistan’s dominance throughout the chase, effectively nullifying any resistance from the Irish side.
Fakhar’s six-hitting prowess and Rizwan’s composed innings demonstrated Pakistan’s depth and versatility in their batting lineup. Although Fakhar’s dismissal provided Ireland with a brief glimmer of hope, Azam Khan’s brisk unbeaten 30 from just 10 deliveries sealed the victory for Pakistan. With a convincing seven-wicket win, Pakistan leveled the series 1-1, setting the stage for an intriguing decider in the third and final match of the series in Dublin.
