Samiullah Shenwari's knock helps Afghanistan create history

Samiullah Shenwari's 147-ball 96 helped Afghanistan beat Scotland by one wicket to record their maiden World Cup win in Dunedin on Thursday.

Afghanitan's captain Mohammad Nabi won the toss and chose to bowl first and his new-ball bowlers struck early to dismissed three opposition batsmen in the first 12 overs for just 40.

Scotland's middle-order showed signs of a fight and Matt Machan and Preston Mommsen added 53 for the fourth wicket. When Machan fell in the 22nd over, Scotland had scored 93.

A disciplined Afghanistan outfit kept their opponents in check and refused to hand them the initiative.

It took a late flourish from Majid Haq and Alasdair Evans that helped Scotland post 211 in their innings. The duo added 62 for the ninth wicket.

Afghanistan lost wickets regularly in the chase. At one stage, they had slumped to 97 for seven. It was then that Shenwari came to the fore.

When Shenwari struck his first six, and the first of the match, in the 39th over it felt like nothing more than late defiance but his second, the first of four against Haq, brought the runs required to 50 and Afghanistan started to believe.

Shenwari swung the advantage in favour of his team when he clubbed Haq for three sixes in the 47th over, before he was dismissed.

Afghanistan needed 19 runs from 20 balls at that stage. Shapoor Zardan and Hamid Hassan remained unbeaten in the end and took their side home.

"Thankful to stay there in the end and give the win for Afghanistan. We lost five wickets early and I had the resposibility to stay there till the end. Poor shot, but I was trying to get a six. Good win for us in the tournament and we are looking forward to win more and get into the Super Eight," Shenwari said.