Hong Kong vs Afghanistan, 5th Match, First Round Group A at Chattogram, Mar 18 2014, World T20

RESULT
5th Match, First Round Group A (D/N), Chattogram, March 18, 2014, World T20
(18/20 ov, T:154) 154/3

Afghanistan won by 7 wickets (with 12 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
68 (53)
mohammad-shahzad
Match centre 
Scorecard summary
Hong Kong 153/8(20 overs)
32 (32)
2/27 (4)
Afghanistan 154/3(18 overs)
51* (24)
1/35 (4)
end of over 1811 runs
AFG: 154/3CRR: 8.55 
Shafiqullah51 (24b 5x4 3x6)
Mohammad Nabi6 (5b)
Haseeb Amjad 4-0-35-1
Aizaz Khan 3-0-39-1

So Afghanistan get to live for another day. Thanks for being with us, the next match is about to start. So see you over there. Ciao ciao

Mohammad Shahzad is the Man of the Match. He says, "I didn't play well in the last two matches so the coach told me to take my time. Everybody supported me in the match. It was a good fifty for me and it was a good win for us. In t20, everything is possible. We need to see the result of the next match and hopefully we can make it to the next round"

Wonderful innings by Shafiqullah towards the end. It looked like the game was set to be a thriller once Shahzad was brilliantly caught at the boundary, but Shafiqullah was unstoppable - his 24 runs in the 17th over making it an easy jog for Afghanistan. Hong Kong are out of the tournament

17.6
4
Haseeb Amjad to Shafiq, FOUR runs

Yes he can! he bends down on his knee and whacks the slower delivery over deep square leg with a powerful sweep shot! Half-century for Shafiq off only 24 deliveries and a much-needed win for Afghanistan

Can he get to his fifty now?

17.5
1
Haseeb Amjad to M Nabi, 1 run

fuller delivery on off, Nabi drives it to long off for a single

17.4
Haseeb Amjad to M Nabi, no run

length delivery, pushed straight to midwicket

17.3
1
Haseeb Amjad to Shafiq, 1 run

low full toss on off, the batsman punches it to long on for a single

17.2
4
Haseeb Amjad to Shafiq, FOUR runs

no stopping Shafiqullah! It's a very good yorker, but the batsman is down on his knee and paddles this one fine down the leg side for another boundary. What poise! What hitting!

Rahul: "Afgans are keeping it cool here. Its a good comeback by the boys after the haywire batting against Bangladesh."

17.1
1
Haseeb Amjad to M Nabi, 1 run

starts off with a good yorker, the batsman flicks it to midwicket for a single

end of over 1724 runs
AFG: 143/3CRR: 8.41 RRR: 3.66
Shafiqullah42 (21b 3x4 3x6)
Mohammad Nabi4 (2b)
Aizaz Khan 3-0-39-1
Haseeb Amjad 3-0-24-1
16.6
6
Aizaz Khan to Shafiq, SIX runs

my god what a striker! This is length delivery on off and Shafiqullah sends this over deep square leg with a powerful swipe. Third six of the over. Hong Kong have been sixed out of this match now

16.5
3
Aizaz Khan to M Nabi, 3 runs

full delivery on the pads, the batsman tickles it down to the gap at deep square leg. But this third one could be the end of Shafiqullah as a good throw comes in quickly ..He dives to get back, but he could be in trouble..He has managed to slide the bat in.

16.4
1
Aizaz Khan to Shafiq, 1 run

now he smartly dabs it to off side for a quick single

16.3
6
Aizaz Khan to Shafiq, SIX runs

another monster strike! He looks like he not in control as he drags this length delivery from outside off, but it keeps going away.. over deep midwicket. That's flat and that's long. How good was that!

16.2
2
Aizaz Khan to Shafiq, 2 runs

he looks to pull this one to the leg side, but gets a top edge that beats the short fine leg fielder

16.1
6
Aizaz Khan to Shafiq, SIX runs

ho ho! Low full toss outside off, this is muscled with a lot of power over wide long on.. It disappears in the night sky. Powerful strike

35 off 24.. Should be easy with the seven wickets they have in hand

end of over 169 runs • 1 wicket
AFG: 119/3CRR: 7.43 RRR: 8.75
Shafiqullah21 (16b 3x4)
Mohammad Nabi1 (1b)
Haseeb Amjad 3-0-24-1
Irfan Ahmed 3-0-15-0
15.6
1
Haseeb Amjad to Shafiq, 1 run

low full toss outside off, the bastman punches it to long on for a single

15.5
1
Haseeb Amjad to M Nabi, 1 run

fuller delivery outside off, driven down to long off with ease

15.4
1
Haseeb Amjad to Shafiq, 1 run

length delivery, punched to deep midwicket for a single

15.3
W
Haseeb Amjad to Shahzad, OUT

oh what a stunner! Magnifico! After all those drops, you don't expect these, but Irfan Ahmed takes a screamer to send Shahzad back. It was a slower delivery that the batsman punched over extra cover with wonderful timing - it looked set to make it to the boundary, but Irfan Ahmed dives forward to pluck it just above the grass. Call it my poor judgment but i was expecting that to be dropped as well

Mohammad Shahzad c Irfan Ahmed b Haseeb Amjad 68 (53b 6x4 3x6 69m) SR: 128.3
15.2
1
Haseeb Amjad to Shafiq, 1 run

full delivery on the stumps, the batsman clips it to deep midwicket for a single

Rohit: "The bowler too is aware that the batsman wants to maximize the risk-free opportunity and thus the bowler tries to ensure that he doesn't bowl a hit-me-for-six-since-you-have-no-risk delivery off a free hit. In the initial days, batsmen used to miss out because they tried to hit a six off it, but now, batsmen have become smarter and realize that 4 is better than a none. They can't play like that sans a free hit because the risk of getting out far outweighs the reward and also...the bowler isn't just trying to avoid a six of a normal delivery, he is trying to avoid getting hit for any runs whatsoever. "

15.2
1w
Haseeb Amjad to Shafiq, 1 wide

oh dear, another one down the leg side! An easy call for the umpire

15.1
4
Haseeb Amjad to Shafiq, FOUR runs

poor delivery! A full toss on the pads. The batsman nonchalantly flicks it to deep backward square leg boundary. Hong Kong are coming apart

end of over 158 runs
AFG: 110/2CRR: 7.33 RRR: 8.80
Mohammad Shahzad68 (52b 6x4 3x6)
Shafiqullah14 (12b 2x4)
Irfan Ahmed 3-0-15-0
Nadeem Ahmed 3-0-22-0

Sai: "@MAB - All that is wired to something called SKILL."

14.6
4
Irfan Ahmed to Shahzad, FOUR runs

this is murderous now! He moves to the leg side, the bowler chases him with a back of length delivery, Shahzad then plays a cross-court forehand to power this to the deep midwicket boundary.

MAB: "@Kamran - there is one more character in Cricket called "Bowler", why your "Mindset" opinion only for batsmen? Why can't bowler hit the stumps on every bowl? :D"

Best performances - batters
Spike Graph
Wagon Zone
Mohammad Shahzad
68 runs (53)
6 fours3 sixes
Productive shot
leg glance
22 runs
0 four2 sixes
Control
73%
Shafiqullah
51 runs (24)
5 fours3 sixes
Productive shot
sweep
12 runs
3 fours0 six
Control
80%
Best performances - bowlers
Shapoor Zadran
O
4
M
0
R
27
W
2
ECO
6.75
Mohammad Nabi
O
4
M
0
R
27
W
2
ECO
6.75
Match details
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
TossHong Kong, elected to bat first
Series
Season2013/14
Player Of The Match
Match numberT20I no. 370
Hours of play (local time)15.30 start, First Session 15.30-16.50, Interval 16.50-17.10, Second Session 17.10-18.30
Match days18 March 2014 - daynight (20-over match)
T20I debut
Umpires
TV Umpire
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
PointsAfghanistan 2, Hong Kong 0
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Instant answers to T20 questions
Afghanistan Innings
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World T20

First Round Group A
TEAMMWLPTNRR
BAN32141.466
NEP32140.933
AFG3122-0.981
HKG3122-1.455
First Round Group B
TEAMMWLPTNRR
NED32141.109
ZIM32140.957
IRE3214-0.701
UAE3030-1.541
Group 1
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SL43162.233
SA43160.075
NZ4224-0.678
ENG4132-0.776
NED4132-0.866
Group 2
TEAMMWLPTNRR
IND44081.280
WI43161.971
PAK4224-0.384
AUS4132-0.857
BAN4040-2.072