Sports Desk
4 June
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
Afghanistan kicked off their T20 World Cup campaign in spectacular fashion, defeating Uganda by a massive 125 runs in the tournament’s opening match. Fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqui’s remarkable five-wicket haul and a century partnership between openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran were the highlights of Afghanistan’s commanding performance.
Batting first, Afghanistan posted an imposing total of 183 for five, thanks to the brilliant efforts of Gurbaz and Zadran. Gurbaz dazzled with a quickfire 76 off 45 balls, including four fours and four sixes, reaching his half-century in just 28 balls. Zadran was equally impressive, scoring 70 runs off 46 balls with nine fours and one six. Their partnership of 154 runs for the first wicket set a new record for the largest opening stand in Men’s T20 World Cup history.
Uganda, playing their first World Cup match, struggled against Afghanistan’s formidable bowling attack. Farooqui was the star with the ball, delivering his career-best performance by taking five wickets for just nine runs in four overs. His spell decimated the Ugandan batting lineup, which crumbled to 58 all out in 16 overs.
Farooqui’s quest for a hat-trick was a thrilling subplot of the match. After conceding a boundary on the first ball, he dismissed Ronak Patel with a brilliant inswinger and trapped Roger Mukasa LBW. Later, in the 13th over, Farooqui took three more wickets, including bowling Riyazat Ali Shah and catching Ugandan captain Brian Masaba out, courtesy of a catch by Gurbaz. Although he missed the hat-trick, he claimed another wicket on the last ball of the over, capping a stellar spell.
Earlier in the innings, Afghanistan’s aggressive start was marked by Gurbaz hitting a six off the second ball. Zadran showcased his prowess with four consecutive fours in Dinesh Nakarani’s sixth over. By the end of the powerplay, Afghanistan had raced to an impressive run rate of 11 runs per over.
Despite a brief comeback by Ugandan bowlers that kept Afghanistan from surpassing 200 runs, the damage was done. Afghanistan’s comprehensive victory sets a strong tone for their World Cup campaign as they prepare to face New Zealand next.