AFG vs PNG, T20 World Cup 2024: Afghanistan Qualify For Super 8 With 7-wicket Victory Over Papua New Guinea, New Zealand Knocked Out
Source: Jagran English
AFG vs PNG, T20 World Cup 2024: The group C has been decided with West Indies and Afghanistan progressing to the next round whereas Uganda, PNG and New Zealand were eliminated.
Afghanistan vs Papua New Guinea, T20 World Cup 2024: Afghanistan defeated Papua New Guinea by seven wickets in match 29 of the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba in Trinidad on Thursday, June 13.
Afghanistan have made it to the Super 8, becoming the fifth team to do so in the tournament so far. West Indies already have progressed to the next round from Group C.
This was Afghanistan's third successive win as they climbed up to the top of the Group C standings with a brilliant all-round performance against PNG.
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They chased down the 96-run target in just 15.1 overs, making it their fourth-biggest win in the shortest format in terms of balls remaining.
Biggest win-margins for Afghanistan in T20Is (by balls remaining)
The group C has been decided with West Indies and Afghanistan progressing to the next round whereas Uganda, PNG and New Zealand were eliminated.
After opting to bowl first, Afghanistan came up with an outstanding effort to bowl PNG out for 95 runs in 19.5 overs with Fazalhaq Farooqi being the pick of the bowlers.
Farooqi continued his sublime form in the tournament and picked up three wickets for just 16 runs in his four overs, taking his tally to 12 wickets in three matches.
He is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament at the moment.
Naveen-ul-Haq took two wickets whereas Noor Ahmed also found a scalp.
Chasing the target, Afghanistan lost Ibrahim Zadran (0) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (11) for just 22 runs inside the first three overs.
Gulbadin Naib did well to recover things and stitched a 33-run stand for the third wicket with Azmatullah Omarzai before the latter's dismissal for 13 in the ninth over.
Gulbadin kept going and added 46 more runs with Mohammad Nabi for the fourth wicket as the duo took their team over the line. Naib remained unbeaten on 49 runs in just 36 balls on the back of four boundaries and two sixes.
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"I want to congratulate the people of Afghanistan for qualifying for the Super 8, I think we've played some good cricket. I was in the IPL, unfortunately, I didn't get a game, so I came here and gave myself the strength to come and perform. I have two plans while bowling - just get wickets if there's any swing or seam, if there's no movement, I just bowl in the right areas and keep it simple. We just need to give our 100% and do our best (in the Super 8)," Fazalhaq said after being adjudged as the Player of the Match.
Afghanistan will be up against West Indies in their final group match at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet in St Lucia on Monday, June 17.