Afghanistan Dominates Uganda in T20 World Cup Opener
Afghanistan kicked off their T20 World Cup campaign with a resounding victory over Uganda, powered by stellar performances from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, and Fazalhaq Farooqi.
The match, held at Providence, Guyana, saw Afghanistan post an imposing 183 for 5, which proved insurmountable for Uganda, who were bowled out for a mere 58 runs in 16 overs.
Uganda 58 (Farooqi 5-9) lost to Afghanistan 183 for 5 (Gurbaz 76, Ibrahim 70, Masaba 2-21, Kyewuta 2-25) by 125 runs.
Afghanistan made a spectacular start to their World Cup campaign with a 154-run opening stand between Gurbaz and Ibrahim and a five-for from Farooqi.
Afghanistan demolished debutants Uganda by 125 runs in their Group C match of the T20 World Cup in Guyana. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran struck fifties in the second-highest opening stand in T20 World Cup history, and Fazalhaq Farooqi claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in T20Is. Uganda was bowled out for 58 runs in 16 overs as a result of Afghanistan’s 183 for 5.
After Farooqi’s five-for, Afghanistan destroyed Uganda’s debut at cricket’s premier event with two wickets apiece from Naveen-ul-Haq and captain Rashid Khan. But Uganda would be encouraged by their return with the ball. Afghanistan finished just short of 200 after losing 5 for 31 in their final six overs of the game. Spin spinner Brian Masaba, the captain of Uganda, and fast bowler Cosmas Kyewuta each claimed two wickets.
Gurbaz and Ibrahim had hit eighteen boundaries in the first fourteen overs before the collapse. Gurbaz scored 76 off 45 balls, with four sixes and as many fours, while Ibrahim scored 70 off 46 balls with nine fours and a six.
On the second delivery of the innings, Gurbaz set the tone by lofting left-arm spinner Alpesh Ramjani to the stand beyond the long-off boundary. After hitting his maiden boundary off of Ramjani, Ibrahim was removed by wicketkeeper Simon Ssesazi on run 16 after hitting Kyewuta past mid-on.
In the sixth over, he took advantage of the opportunity and blasted four consecutive boundaries off Dinesh Nakrani, leaving Afghanistan on 66 for 0. Gurbaz hit two maximums in a row off Henry Ssenyondo, bringing his total of sixes to four. In the ninth over, he scored his sixth T20I fifty, and in the next over, Ibrahim brought up their century stand. Prior to hitting his first six, a proper slog over midwicket, against Bilal Hassan, Ibrahim also scored his eighth fifty in T20Is.
Hassan had a difficult 14th over after giving up five wides and getting hammered for a four off a no-ball. Afghanistan eventually lost their way after he gave up 25 runs in the over. After Ibrahim failed to catch a ball that Masaba tossed up, his 154-run partnership with Gurbaz ended in the 15th over. In the next over, Ramjani had Gurbaz hole out to deep square leg. In the 17th over, Masaba got rid of Najibullah Zadran; Nakrani made the catch at the deep square leg boundary, and Kyewuta took his two wickets.
Azmatullah Omarzai skied one to short third in the last over after he had trapped Gulbadin Naib at long-on for four. Uganda made a fantastic recovery after giving up at 10.85 in the first 14 overs. For the first time in the T20 World Cup, they did not concede a single boundary in the final six overs of the innings.
Uganda was reduced to 18 for 5 during the powerplay, with to two wickets each from Naveen and Farooqi. In the opening over, Farooqi dismissed successive deliveries from Ronak Patel and Roger Mukasa. There was little time for the two batters to bring down their bats because both deliveries were quick and swung in. Although Riazat Ali Shah stopped the yorker on the hat-trick ball, Uganda was not given any relief.
Ssesazi was caught at short fine leg by Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and in the fifth over, Naveen bowled Nakrani off his inside edge. Ramjani beat Naveen to Naib at first slip after one ball. Uganda was participating in its first World Cup, and Afghanistan highlighted the division between the two nations.
For seven and a half overs, Riazat and Robinson Obuya held Afghanistan at bay while they scored 29 runs for the sixth wicket. However, Farooqi, returning to the attack for his third over, put an end to the former’s 34-ball vigil. To give Farooqi his five-for, he had captain Masaba caught behind the very next ball.
Obuya, Uganda’s highest scorer of the day with 14 runs, was also caught behind in the same over. By removing Ssenyondo the following ball and trapping Hassan leg before wicket, Rashid claimed the final two wickets.
