Afghanistan v Scotland
Wisden's review of the second match, Afghanistan v Scotland
Tim Wigmore
15-Apr-2017
At Nagpur, March 8, 2016 (floodlit). Afghanistan won by 14 runs. ‡Afghanistan 170-5 (20 overs) (Mohammad Shahzad 61, Asghar Stanikzai 55*); Scotland 156-5 (20 overs) (H. G. Munsey 41, K. J. Coetzer 40, M. W. Machan 36). MoM: Mohammad Shahzad.
Afghanistan repeated their victory over Scotland in the 50-over World Cup a year earlier. Mohammad Shahzad had fallen to the opening delivery of their previous World T20 campaign, in 2014, but this time his thunderous drive bisected the covers. He crashed consecutive sixes off Matt Machan and impudently moved across his stumps to flick Richie Berrington over fine leg. Shahzad's 61 - it was "a bit hot" for a century, he said - and more restrained batting from Asghar Stanikzai left Scotland needing 171. Their openers embraced the challenge: George Munsey reverse-swept with panache, and piled on 84 in 8.5 overs with Kyle Coetzer, who drove serenely. But Coetzer pulled a long hop to square leg, Munsey was lbw two balls later, and Scotland collapsed to 108-4. Against Afghanistan's four spinners, who delivered 15 overs for 100 runs, they struggled to meet the rate: Machan and Preston Mommsen ran hard but managed a solitary boundary in 50 balls.
Afghanistan repeated their victory over Scotland in the 50-over World Cup a year earlier. Mohammad Shahzad had fallen to the opening delivery of their previous World T20 campaign, in 2014, but this time his thunderous drive bisected the covers. He crashed consecutive sixes off Matt Machan and impudently moved across his stumps to flick Richie Berrington over fine leg. Shahzad's 61 - it was "a bit hot" for a century, he said - and more restrained batting from Asghar Stanikzai left Scotland needing 171. Their openers embraced the challenge: George Munsey reverse-swept with panache, and piled on 84 in 8.5 overs with Kyle Coetzer, who drove serenely. But Coetzer pulled a long hop to square leg, Munsey was lbw two balls later, and Scotland collapsed to 108-4. Against Afghanistan's four spinners, who delivered 15 overs for 100 runs, they struggled to meet the rate: Machan and Preston Mommsen ran hard but managed a solitary boundary in 50 balls.