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Afghanistan Under-19s 309 for 6 (Gurbaz 69, Ibrahim 68, Bahir Shah 67*, Omarzai 66) beat New Zealand Under-19s 107 (Clarke 38, Mujeeb 4-14, Qais Ahmad 3-33) by 202 runs
Christchurch: Afghanistan couldn’t have dreamed of a more satisfying quarter-final.
They laid down a marker and sent a message to more fancied opponents that they were not a side to be taken lightly.
In doing so, they dismantled the home side, New Zealand, in perhaps the most comprehensive manner imaginable.
It was a 202-run win, but even that massive margin perhaps doesn’t indicate just how good Afghanistan were on this day in Hagley Oval.
After opting to bat, four Afghanistan batsmen scored half-centuries – Rahmanullah Gurbaz (69), Ibrahim Zadran (68), Bahir Shah (67 not out) and the incredible Azmatullah Omarzai (66 off just 23).
Thereafter, having posted a mammoth 309/6, Mujeeb Zadran (4/14), the mystery spinner, and Qais Ahmed (4/33), the leggie, ran through the line-up.
Australia, who Afghanistan will meet in the Super League semi-final, would have taken note. In fact, the whole cricket-watching world would have taken note.
It was that sort of performance, from a bunch of boys sporting black armbands in memory of those that were lost in the recent attacks in Kabul and Jalalabad.
The New Zealand bowlers had a torrid time in the first innings, especially in the last five overs when Azmatullah’s belligerence ensured 77 runs were added. But perhaps it could all have been different had New Zealand held on to their chances.
Ibrahim was dropped twice – first by Felix Murray when he was 15, and then on 23 by Sandeep Patel. He had a nervy, slow start, and had New Zealand to thank for their generosity.
At the other end, Gurbaz was on a whole other level. He displayed excellent timing, and his inherent power ensured most of his swings found the fence.
The openers added 117 – an Afghanistan U19 record – within 21 overs, with Gurbaz scoring 10 boundaries, three of them sixes. He brought up his half-century off just 55 balls, but Patel made amends for his earlier drop by forcing an inside-edge that clattered into Gurbaz’s stumps.
There was a slide thereafter. Ikram Ali Khil managed just four before being caught-and-bowled by Murray, even as Zadran kicked on to bring up his own half-century. Patel accounted for him as well though and when Darwish Rasooli (3), a known big-hitter, holed out shortly thereafter, Afghanistan were 182/4.
However, in the final ten overs, the gears shifted yet again and New Zealand could do little about it. Azmatullah used his powerful arms to great effect – by the time he holed out with two balls remaining, he had plundered seven sixes and three fours. It put to shade Bahir’s fine 72-ball unbeaten 67, and that’s saying something.
