AFG vs UGA

Providence, Guyana, was witness to two fine fifties from the Afghan openers. Then came the final five overs of the innings in which newcomers Uganda came back with 4 wickets for only 27 runs. But after that, it was one-way traffic in the second innings with Fazalhaq Farooqi and co.. running riot! The action now shifts to Barbados again as England open their campaign against neighbours Scotland. We will bring you all the action right here, so do join us for the game and find out what unfolds. This is the pair of Soorya and Bidipto taking your leave. Keep following Sportskeeda! 

Rashid Khan (Afghanistan captain): I think we were quite clinical with our overall game. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran gave us a great start, in a match like this, it's important to get off to a solid start. They provided us with that. And then, we backed it up with a stellar bowling performance. We have the luxury of having top quality choices with the ball and I am lucky as a captain to have so many options to choose from. The 2023 ODI World Cup was a massive boost to our confidence at this level, and we have taken a lot forward from that! (On facing New Zealand next) They are a fantastic side! But it boils down to how we play on the day, how we handle pressure and how well we execute our plans. Hope to have a good game in that one. 

Brian Masaba (Uganda captain): Pretty special for us to listen to the national anthem after lining up as players! We have to keep this performance aside, and come out to play better next game. We were outplayed early on, but did well to come back later on in the innings. Full credit to Afghanistan, their bowling attack is world class! We know how well their spinners bowl, and their seamers are pretty good too. But, we have to improve now, that's the important bit. 

A lovely moment there towards the end with Rashid Khan, who was there to aid Farooqi in translating his words from Pashto to English, asking his bowler to thank Katey Martin even as he did in Pashto. It all ended in a laugh - happy faces everywhere for Afghanistan!

Fazalhaq Farooqi (Player of the Match, 5/9 off 4 overs): Thanks to the Almighty. I've missed the hat-trick quite a few times but if I get another chance in the future I'll try to take it. I just tried to bowl a few balls to see what was going on. When I saw it was swinging I tried to use but later on I used the slower ones. I thought of mixing it up and keeping it simple on that wicket. Playing franchise cricket in the last three years has helped improve my cricket day by day. You don't feel that kind of pressure which I used to before. I just try and keep it simple.

Afghanistan win by 125 runs with 4 overs to spare! 

Rahmanullah Gurbaz 76 (45) | Fazalhaq Farooqi - 5/9 (4)
Robinson Obuya 14 (25) | Brian Masaba - 2/21 (4)

The first over of the innings set the tone for the remainder and in the end, Uganda could not quite come back with the bat, as they did with the ball in the first innings. 

Fazalhaq Farooqi finished with best figures of 5/9 in his 4 overs with some superb swing, slow and accurate bowling! Naveen ul Haq, skipper Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman were the other wicket takers. But no bowler, who bowled more than one over, gave away runs at more than 5.30 RPO. 

Uganda were trying hard to stitch together a partnership but their inexperience at this level came to the fore big time! Matching up to the quality of this Afghan bowling attack was just too much for the first timers of this tournament. 

So, with this huge win, Afghanistan's net run rate gets a massive shot in the arm while Uganda have to work extremely hard to step up a notch and press for a win in the coming matches. 

15.6 Rashid Khan to Henry Ssenyondo, CASTLED! AND THAT IS THAT! A Rashid Khan special to wrap things up as he sends down a googly just outside the line of off stump. On a full length and Ssenyondo is drawn forward into a lunge. Big gap between bat and pad through which the ball turns in and knocks the top of off. Afghanistan wrap up a resounding 125-run win!

Henry Ssenyondo b Rashid Khan 0 (1b, 0x4, 0x6)

15.5 Rashid Khan to Bilal Hassan, GIVEN LBW AGAIN! Reviewed again! Length ball outside the off stump and Bilal attempts a reverse-hit this time. Struck in line of off stump on the front pad and this surely looks dead. Fair delivery.

No bat involved and with the impact in line of off stump, the ball would have smashed the stumps. Rashid has his first and Uganda lose their ninth wicket.

15.4 Rashid Khan to Bilal Hassan, full length ball outside the off stump. Bilal goes for a slog sweep but he misses out. Thuds into his pad as he's struck outside the line

15.1 Rashid Khan to Bilal Hassan, GIVEN LBW! Bilal reviews as he should at this stage. Full in length on off stump as he pokes forward from his crease. The ball just turns away a touch and pins him on the back pad.

But well well - there is an outside edge that UltraEdge has detected! No wonder Bilal went up straightaway eh? Dharmasena has to overturn his call. NOT OUT!

What a spell of bowling this is! 5/9 in 4 overs with 4 runs coming off his very first delivery. Fazalhaq Farooqi has been on song tonight! A stellar performance to help his team win. 

14.6 Fazalhaq Farooqi to Bilal Hassan, wide of off stump as he takes pace off. Bilal reaches for it and bunts it to sweeper cover to retain strike