Imad Wasim held his nerve to guide Pakistan to a vital victory at Headingley, which moved them above England into fourth place
Related: Pakistan’s Imad Wasim holds nerve to see of Afghanistan in thriller
Related: England’s Eoin Morgan ready for ‘short-term’ risks with Roy and Archer
It’s worth repeating: a week ago, Pakistan were ninth in the table. Now they are fourth, and they’ll all be Indian fans tomorrow. We should not forget Bangladesh in all this, however. They could easily blindside Pakistan and England to reach the semi-finals.
Sarfaraz Ahmed speaks
“It was not an easy pitch to bat on, so credit to Imad for the way he batted and handled the pressure. Hats off to him. Their bowlers used the conditions very well and made it difficult for us. Everyone chipped in today, either with bat or ball. It was teamwork that won the game.”
Gulbadin Naib speaks “We fought really well but again we missed the opportunity to win the match. Credit goes to Pakistan, Imad played really well. We missed Hamid Hassan, which is why I had to bowl
like a drain and probably put England out of the tournament 10 overs. We are still learning a lot in this format. Thank you to the tremendous crowd here.”
If you still want more, if you can take any more, New Zealand are chasing 244 to beat Australia at Lord’s and clinch a semi-final place. They’ve made a good start.
Related: New Zealand chase 244 to beat Australia: Cricket World Cup 2019 – live!
The win means Pakistan move above England into fourth place. If England lose to India tomorrow, Pakistan will reach the semi-finals if they win their final match against Bangladesh on Friday. The key matches in the race for fourth place are:
The Man of the Match is Imad Wasim
“When I went in Rashid Khan was bowling brilliantly. I couldn’t pick him so I tried to hang in there. We decided that if we batted 50 overs we had the capability to win the game. Gulbadin was the only bowler we could target because they have world-class spinners and Rashid was turning it square. Thank you to the crowd; it feels like home. This one’s for them.”
“Pakistan - we love you,” says Andrew Hurley. “What a team.”
On that, we can definitely agree. They’ll always be the most interesting team in the world of sport. They’ve just produced a comfortable win, a disgraceful defeat and an heroic victory – all in the same match.
Imad Wasim, who started his innings like he was blindfolded and had umpteen lucky escapes against Rashid Khan, showed immense character to drag Pakistan to a victory of such importance.
Afghanistan will feel they have thrown it away for the second time in a fortnight. You have to feel for their captain Gulbadin, who had a bit of a shocker at the end. He tried to lead from the front, and he did: he took his team over the top to certain defeat.
Rob here, hello again. Thanks to Will for covering at the end of that extraordinary match. There is so much emotion from both sets of players, and I’m still trying to make sense of all the twists and turns in that game.
Gulbadin bowls a full toss and then one down leg but only goes for two singles which is impressive as they are dreadful deliveries. Then they sneak a single and get a needless overthrow thanks to some poor stuff from Gulbadin at the bowler’s end, who lets the ball slip through. Imad hits another full toss for four through cover to win the match. WHAT A GAME!!!
49th over: Pakistan 222-7 (Imad 42, Wahab 14) Rashid gets sent over midwicket from the second ball of the over, making the task a lot simpler for Pakistan! A sprinted two down to long off. Singles help Pakistan to require six from the final over.
48th over: Pakistan 212-7 (Imad 42, Wahab 5) Two dot balls to start the over puts the pressure on Imad. He tries to cut the third ball but it goes straight through to the ‘keeper. The fourth is whacked straight back at Mujeeb and it smashes him on the ankle, allowing the batsmen to take a single. Just two from the over in the end! Pakistan need 16 from the final two overs.
47th over: Pakistan 210-7 (Imad 41, Wahab 4) Wahab whacks a four off the final ball of the over to leave Pakistan requiring a run ball for the final three.
After edging a four, Shadab nudges one through midwicket and they decided to go for two but Gulbadin sprints in and fires a good throw to the ‘keeper who whips the bails off with the diving batsman just short.
46th over: Pakistan 200-6 (Imad 40, Shadab 6) Gulbadin is into the attack, bowls a full toss and is whacked for four. Imad smashes the second ball up in the air and just over cover, who is just inside the circle and can’t move quickly to take the catch with drops a couple of yards the other side of this head. Imad then goes down with cramp, which is a concern for Pakistan. What pressure! Imad then knocks two fours on the trot. Gulbadin chucks down a wide, too. A bad over for Afghanistan (and England). Pakistan need 28 from 24 now.
45th over: Pakistan 182-6 (Imad 23, Shadab 6) Rob Smyth has had a power cut. Pakistan one pick up two runs from the 45th over, which is not great. Great stuff from Shinwari.
44th over: Pakistan 180-6
We’re having technical problems. On today of all days! Pakistan need 48 from six overs.
42nd over: Pakistan 169-6 (Imad 14, Shadab 3) Gulbadin bowls his eighth over, which completes a set of 10 with Hamid Hassan and should mean spin for the rest of the innings. Imad Wasim blasts a low full toss down the ground for a vital boundary, and four singles make it a good over for Pakistan. They need 59 from 48 balls.
“I know what it’s like to watch a Pakistani player, but what is it like to actually be one?” says Pete Salmon. “How do they bear never knowing where the madness will kick in, or the genius? Does it rise in them collectively, or is the whole point that there is no collective, so the sum of the parts only comes together by chance? All I know is that now need them to lose, but need them to win. Is this what Games Theory is?”
41st over: Pakistan 161-6 (Imad 8, Shadab 1) Whichever side wins, this will be a famous victory. Afghanistan because it would be their first against Pakistan in ODIs; Pakistan because they would have extricated themselves from quite a hole to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
Shinwari replaces Rashid Khan, who has three overs remaining, and is milked for four runs. Imad has another escape off the final delivery when a leading edge drops short of extra cover.
40th over: Pakistan 157-6 (Imad 5, Shadab 0) Gulbadin goes in for the kill, bringing Mujeeb back into the attack. Only one from the over. Pakistan need 71 from 60 balls.
39th over: Pakistan 156-6 (Imad 4, Shadab 0) Fate-tempting department: no, I’m going to say what an Afghanistan win would mean for England and Bangladesh, unless it actually happens.
Sarfaraz has run himself out! Pakistan are collapsing in extraordinary circumstances. He tried to steal a second run to third man off Rashid and was well short when Ikram took Najibullah’s superb throw and broke the stumps. Afghanistan are four wickets away from a victory that would live forever.
38th over: Pakistan 154-5 (Sarfaraz 17, Imad 3) Sarfaraz is the key, as he was in not dissimilar circumstances against Sri Lanka at the Champions Trophy two years ago. Gulbadin returns to the attack, and Pakistan take the opportunity to pick up eight vital runs. After four singles, Sarfaraz pulls a slower ball round the corner for the first boundary since the 28th over.
37th over: Pakistan 146-5 (Sarfaraz 11, Imad 1) Imad Wasim survives two huge shout for LBW during a fantastic over from Rashid Khan. The second one looked absolutely plumb – and it would have been but for the thinnest inside-edge from Imad. That is exceptional umpiring from Paul Wilson. But replays show the first appeal would have been given out on review. For the first time in the match, Pakistan now need more than a run a ball.
36th over: Pakistan 144-5 (Sarfaraz 11, Imad 1) Replays show Haris would have been out even if he had reviewed – it was hitting the leg bail. Nabi bowls his final over, spitting a beautiful delivery past Imad’s outside edge. He finishes a lovely, wise spell of bowling with figures of 10-0-23-2.
“Rob,” says Brian Withington. “I know that DRS is ‘meant’ to be used judiciously to overturn howlers and not to be used speculatively. However, is it maybe time to consider the case for additional reviews that come with penalty runs (and/or a free hit) if the extra review is unsuccessful? Will stop any excessive appealing in its tracks. Apologies if I’ve tried this on you before - DRS is still miles better than VAR!”
35th over: Pakistan 142-5 (Sarfaraz 10)
Rashid Khan strikes with a beauty, a quicker legspinner that zips on to trap Haris LBW on the back foot. Paul Wilson gave it out and that decision is final because Pakistan have used their review. That might just have been bouncing over the stumps.
34th over: Pakistan 140-4 (Haris 27, Sarfaraz 9) In the context of a low-scoring game that’s an excellent over for Pakistan, with five low-risk singles off Nabi. He has only one over remaining, and Gulbadin should surely keep it up his sleeve.
33rd over: Pakistan 135-4 (Haris 25, Sarfaraz 6) Sarfaraz is very good at rotating strike against the spinners. Haris hasn’t been so good at that today, but he does make rook to slice Shinwari behind square for a couple. Pakistan need 93 from 17 overs.
32nd over: Pakistan 132-4 (Haris 23, Sarfaraz 5) Nabi replaces Mujeeb and concedes three singles from his eighth over. Pakistan will be happy to see him out of the attack and bide their time; Afghanistan need to find another seven overs from their second-tier bowlers.
31st over: Pakistan 129-4 (Haris 22, Sarfaraz 4) Sarfaraz is dropped by Shinwari! He belted a full toss whence it came, and Shinwari couldn’t hang on as he moved to his left in his follow through. This is becoming so tense. Another quick wicket would put Pakistan in significant filth.
30th over: Pakistan 124-4 (Haris 19, Sarfaraz 2) As you are doubtless aware, it would be a monumental bonus for England – and Bangladesh – should Afghanistan win this.
Hafeez has gone now! Mujeeb strikes with the first ball of a new spell. It turned away from the right-hander and was steered tamely to backward point by Hafeez. Afghanistan are right in this game.
29th over: Pakistan 121-3 (Hafeez 19, Haris 18) “Who is responsible for England’s over aggressive strategy though?” says Andrew Hurley. “Look at Ali’s dismissals or Bairstow holing out when accumulation needed, or Morgan trying to take on Starc when digging in needed - all examples of arrogance and failing to adapt to conditions and play smart, tournament cricket. And when they see the captain backing up his words off the pitch by running away from the ball on it, a picture starts to emerge...”
So, Morgan tried to take Starc on and he ran away at the same time. You can’t have it both ways. Moeen’s shot was not representative of a generally cautious batting performance against Sri Lanka, and Morgan’s counter-attack against Starc was a calculated risk – exactly the same calculated risk that inspired a spectacular victory over Australia at the Champions Trophy. England have made mistakes; of course they have, and it bloody stings that a sloppy, cautious batting performance against an abysmal Sri Lankan side is probably going to cost them everything. But in my opinion lot of the criticism has been offensively simplistic. We’ll have to agree to disagree.
28th over: Pakistan 118-3 (Hafeez 17, Haris 17) That’s why you shouldn’t play silly buggers with your only review. Haris Sohail thin-edges Gulbadin down the leg side to the keeper Ikram, but Nigel Llong says not out and Afghanistan have already wasted their review. There was a spike on Ultra Edge, so it would have been overturned on review.
27th over: Pakistan 113-3 (Hafeez 17, Haris 13) Haris Sohail gets his first boundary, clattering Shinwari through the covers off the back foot. That was a cracking shot.
26th over: Pakistan 108-3 (Hafeez 17, Haris 9) Gulbadin replaces Nabi, who has three overs remaining. Mujeeb has four and Rashid Khan six. The pace on the ball makes life easier for Hafeez and Haris, who milk five singles from the over. Pakistan need 120 from the last 24 overs.
25th over: Pakistan 103-3 (Hafeez 15, Haris 6) Hafeez hoicks Shinwari over midwicket for the first boundary since the 17th over. He’s beaten by the last delivery of the over, another reminder that batting is getting trickier as the innings progresses. Afghanistan have an outside chance of an immortal victory.
24th over: Pakistan 96-3 (Hafeez 8, Haris 4) Nabi, who has bowled masterfully to the left-handers, beats Haris with a stunning delivery that curves onto off stump and then straightens sharply past the edge. Pakistan have scored only 25 runs from the last nine overs. They won’t be worrying yet, but they will if they lose another wicket in the next few overs.
23rd over: Pakistan 94-3 (Hafeez 8, Haris 4) One legspinner replaces another, with Samiullah Shinwari replacing Rashid Khan. Hafeez cuffs a long hop for a single, one of three from the over. Rashid’s errant throw from the outfield hits Gulbadin flush on the buttock, prompting much mirth around the ground. Gulbadin saw the funny side. “A unique way to get the captain’s attention,” says the commentator Ramiz Raja.
22nd over: Pakistan 91-3 (Hafeez 5, Haris 3) Pakistan are playing sensibly, content to see off Nabi and Rashid Khan. One from the over; Nabi now has figures of 6-0-12-1.
21st over: Pakistan 90-3 (Hafeez 5, Haris 3)
20th over: Pakistan 87-3 (Hafeez 3, Haris 2) This is an excellent spell for Afghanistan, who have the scoreboard under control for now. Three singles from Nabi’s fifth over.
19th over: Pakistan 84-3 (Hafeez 1, Haris 1) Haris Sohail survives a huge shout for LBW from Rashid Khan! He pushed outside the line of a good legspinner, and I suspect he just got outside the line of off stump as well. Afghanistan have no reviews left.
18th over: Pakistan 82-3 (Hafeez 0, Haris 1) This is quite a spell from Mohammad Nabi: 4-0-8-2.
Scenes! Babar misses a sweep and is bowled behind his legs by Nabi! That is a huge wicket for Afghanistan - and for Bangladesh and England.
17th over: Pakistan 81-2 (Babar 45, Hafeez 0) “How interesting were Kohli’s words on England and pressure?” says Andrew Hurley. “Kohli is a little conservative sometimes but has been spot on about batting first, that there wd be low totals and pressure matters. Morgan in the other hand has been a weak point as captain, failing to adapt, and his arrogance about chasing and playing conditions is surprising. Will he be strong enough to adjust his team’s approach tomorrow, as if not they are probably gone, India’s bowlers are so impressive.”
Sorry, I’m not having that. England have tried to adapt; they just haven’t done it well enough. And there hasn’t been a single game when even 10 per cent of observers suggested they should bat first. It was a mistake to field first against Pakistan, but only in hindsight. If England go out it will be desperately sad, but it won’t be Eoin Morgan’s fault.
16th over: Pakistan 72-2 (Babar 36, Hafeez 0) “Good evening from Melbourne, Rob,” says Neill Brown. “Forget dead rubbers, this weekend feels like quarter finals and all the better for it. Last Thursday a friend of mine, Ben, who I see in my favourite coffee shop a few days a week, bet me fifty dollars that ‘Pakistan will get to the semis ahead of your England’. I immediately declined the bet, as I feared Ben could be correct and betting on Pakistan is inherently risky. However 15 minutes later, I regretted my decision not to get involved in the same way someone might reject the once-in-a-lifetime adrenaline rush of a parachute jump off of Mt Everest. Pakistan can be whoever they want to be, can’t they? Anyway, I’ve got this game streaming (legally) on my laptop, with NZ v AUS occupying my tele, with enough red wine on the go to physically drown every 50-over-format naysayer in the world. Erm...come on England!”
Save some of that red wine for tomorrow night. I suspect we’ll all need it.
Brilliant bowling from Mohammad Nabi! He was toying with Imam, who was struggling to rotate strike. After four dot balls he lost patience and charged down the track with violence in mind. Nabi saw him coming and speared the ball wider for Ikram Alikhil to complete the stumping.
15th over: Pakistan 71-1 (Imam 36, Babar 35) Gulbadin returns to the field, though not the bowling attack – Rashid Khan has come on to replace him. Babar goes after him immediately, cuffing seven from the first three deliveries, and then Imam survives a big shout for LBW. It looked too high.
“These low-scoring pitches are proving a real boon for all of us deceived into thinking the future was big maximums hit by modest, low-voiced Englishmen,” says Ian Copestake. “To he who turned the table on us I say go buy yourself a lanyard for your whistle.”
14th over: Pakistan 64-1 (Imam 36, Babar 28) Imam is beaten by a jaffa from Nabi that drifts in and then roars away off the pitch. The over ends with an unsuccessful appeal for caught behind after another lovely delivery from Nabi. Afghanistan have used their review anyway.
“I’m absolutely gutted for Hamid,” says Romeo. “He’s been such a hero for his people, and to see him leave the field like that is horrible to witness. He said he was retiring from international cricket after this tournament, but maybe he’ll continue in Afghanistan’s vibrant domestic competitions. If he doesn’t, or when he finally gives up, he’ll make a great commentator. He already did, in the tournament in Ireland back in May, where he and Niall O’Brien made a great combination. I trust that in the next world cup, Afghanistan will not be marginalised and actually allowed to have their own commentator. Every other country has at least one, most have loads (and many of them are disrespectful and/or patronising to Afghanistan).”
13th over: Pakistan 60-1 (Imam 33, Babar 27) Gulbadin changes ends to replace Mujeeb, who bowled a good spell of 6-1-23-1. Babar has gone a little quiet – only seven runs from his last 20 deliveries – but Pakistan are in complete control of this runchase.Gulbadin is also leaving the field, having injured his hand when making a stop off his own bowling.
12th over: Pakistan 54-1 (Imam 30, Babar 23) The offspinner Mohammad Nabi replaces Gulbadin. Babar survives a run-out chance after Imam takes a dodgy single to cover; I think he would have been out with a direct hit.
Meanwhile, here are Vic Marks’ thoughts on the scarily big games between England and India tomorrow.
Related: England must gamble on Jason Roy to keep World Cup alive and beat India
11th over: Pakistan 52-1 (Imam 29, Babar 23) Imam cuts Mujeeb for two to bring up a cool, classy fifty partnership - but their stand almost ends when Babar’s checked drive falls just short of the bowler Mujeeb. He’s struggling to time the ball against Mujeeb.
10th over: Pakistan 49-1 (Imam 26, Babar 23) Imam works Gulbadin to leg and scampers back for two. Pakistan’s running has been very aggressive, putting Afghanistan under pressure and prompting a few misfields.
9th over: Pakistan 45-1 (Imam 22, Babar 23) A beautiful delivery from Mujeeb beats Babar’s attempted drive. For a second I thought he’d nicked it, although it wouldn’t have mattered because the keeper Ikram dropped it.
8th over: Pakistan 42-1 (Imam 22, Babar 20) A desperate over for Afghanistan, with two costly misfields and an edge through the vacant slip cordon for four by Imam. Gulbadin bowled a good over - and conceded 10.
7th over: Pakistan 32-1 (Imam 12, Babar 20) That was the last ball of an excellent maiden from Mujeeb. It was an emotional review, though, and I hope it doesn’t come back to bite them, and England.
Yes, he was miles outside the line. The third umpire can swing his boots onto the desk, because both teams have wasted their review inside seven overs.
I think this is a poor review - it looked like he was outside the line.
6th over: Pakistan 32-1 (Imam 12, Babar 20) The captain Gulbadin replaces the injured Hamid Hassan. His first over is a low-key affair, with two from it. Babar has sped to 20 from 17 balls, yet his engine hasn’t made a sound.
5th over: Pakistan 30-1 (Imam 11, Babar 19) Mujeeb is milked carefully for four singles. Pakistan have responded impressively to that early shock.
4th over: Pakistan 26-1 (Imam 9, Babar 17) Babar has started with a serene authority that is ominous for Afghanengland. He steers Hassan deftly for four before tucking another boundary through midwicket. Hassan is feeling his hamstring, and I think this might be it for him – not just today, but as an international cricketer. That’s pretty cruel, the opposite of a Boy’s Own farewell, and he limps from the field at the end of the over.
Not sure what's gonna happen first - climate change completely destroys humanity or Pakistan actually make their fans feel comfortable in a chase.
3rd over: Pakistan 17-1 (Imam 9, Babar 8) A poor ball from Mujeeb is flicked to fine leg for four by Imam, who is showing plenty of intent. Pakistan will want to get ahead of the rate because things could become tricky against the spinners as the balls get older.
“O ho ho,” says Abhijato Sensarma. “As the younger generation (I’m a member of it) along with a slightly older respectable cricket journalist who’s trademarked the following word would say on seeing that wicket: ‘Scenes!’”
2nd over: Pakistan 10-1 (Imam 4, Babar 6) Hamid Hassan, who is probably playing his last game for Afghanistan, starts with an absolute snorter that lifts past Imam’s outside edge. Imam responds by pulling the next ball brusquely for four. It’s been a fascinating start, and Pakistan look keen to get as many as possible during the first Powerplay.
1st over: Pakistan 6-1 (Imam 0, Babar 6) The new batsman is Babar Azam, whose epic century beat New Zealand on Wednesday. He gets off the mark by scrunching a drive through the covers for four.
“Not sure of the laws of the game,” says Reg Gorczynski. “Is Roy allowed a runner from the start, or must he be presumed fit if named as a starter? I think this is a big gamble. Aggravate that healing muscle tear and he’s gone for the rest of the tournament.”
Fakhar is out - and he takes Pakistan’s review with him! He pushed outside the line of a good delivery from the offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman and was hit on the pad. Paul Wilson gave it out LBW, and although Fakhar reviewed instantly, replays showed the ball was sliding on to hit leg stump. Three reds on DRS, which means Pakistan lose their review.
This looks pretty close; I’ll be surprised if it’s overturned.
“I’d be surprised if this isn’t wrapped up quickly,” says Reg Gorczynski. “Pakistan are set to go above England in the table. So where do England go from here? Agree with Tim (Guardian this morning) - stop this silly experiment with Vince. If Roy’s still injured, put Plunkett in as opener (useful bowler too)! I’d drop Moeen also and bring back Curran. If Roy plays for Vince (a gamble) I’d still drop Moeen for Plunkett. Any news from the selectors yet?”
Yep. Roy will play unless he aggravates his injury before the game, and it sounds like that will be the only change. As for this game, it might be tricky on a dusty pitch, although I still think Pakistan will win.
Thanks Tom, hello everyone. If a week is a long time in politics, then it’s an absolute age in Pakistan cricket. Seven days ago they were ninth in the World Cup table, with only Afghanistan below them. Now they are 228 runs away from moving into the magical fourth spot, the one that comes with a semi-final place. For any other country it would be an extraordinary turn of events. For Pakistan, it’s 1992 all over again.
So, as is becoming increasingly common in this World Cup, the team batting second have another sub-250 total to chase. Afghanistan begun quite crisply, and, had Rahmat and then Ashgar Afghan stuck around a little longer, they might have set Pakistan a tricky target. As it is, the one the one they’ve set looks eminently reachable, and Pakistan are clear favourites, though the performances of Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan, each of whom got considerable turn, will encourage Afghanistan’s spinners. Shaheen, though, was the main man for Pakistan once again – that Pakistani left-arm seamer conveyor belt is still churning out gems.
Imad Wasim has been nabbed for a quick chat by Mel Jones: “It feels like a home game,” he says of the atmosphere, before turning to his own showing. “I’m not bothered by not taking wickets, if I bowl well and stick to the team plans that’s all that matters. It was skidding on later on, and bowling slow you can get grip on that wicket. We should be chasing 227 comfortably – they’ve got very good spinners, but if you play sensibly and don’t give them wickets you should be able to chase it.”
50th over: Afghanistan 227-9 (Shinwari 19, Mujeeb 7) Amir bowls the last over, and Mujeeb, looking like an old-school No 11, can’t get bat on ball for the first three deliveries (I’m not quite sure why Shinwari didn’t farm the strike at the end of the previous over) before slashing over and behind the keeper for four – they all count. Mujeeb straight drives for a harem-scarem two off the final ball and that’s their lot. Pakistan have a modest victory target.
49th over: Afghanistan 221-9 (Shinwari 19, Mujeeb 1) The finger-knacked Wahab returns once again. Shinwari clips a full one for a single, before Hamid Hassan is beaten all ends up by a brilliant yorker. Nine down. Mujeeb, who’ll have some twirling work to do later, is greeted with a filthy legside wide and then almost cleaned out by another yorker before digging it out the next with no little skill and purloining a single to third man.
Textbook yorker from Wahab – that would have got a top-order batsman out, so a tailender such as Hassan had no chance.
48th over: Afghanistan 218-8 (Shinwari 18, Hassan 1) Shinwari inside-edges Amir past the keeper for four, and adds a single to long-on. Three singles help the score along, but Afghanistan need a lot more, and there’s only 12 balls remaining.
47th over: Afghanistan 211-8 (Shinwari 12, Hassan 0) Rashid toe-ends Shaheen high on the offside – it bounces safely but isn’t timed well enough to reach the boundary, so they run a couple. But the excellent Shaheen is not to be denied, taking a fourth wicket when Rashid holes out from his slower ball.
“In reply to John Starbuck’s challenge of a new beer delivery method for modern times (over 35),” writes Brian Withington, “might I suggest some sort of open air dispensing spray system of the sort currently being used in public spaces on the baking continent? Stands might be partitioned between various ales and other beverages (fruit pop for family enclosure), with a Yorkshire Tea offering for when it gets a bit nippy.” Don’t think the cleaners would thank you for that, though you could generate some hearty tribalism when the real ale purists stand starts taunting the fizzy lager enclosure.
Brilliant from Shaheen again, bamboozling Rashid with a slower ball from which he’s helpless to do anything but mis-slog it high and inelegantly down the throat of Fakhar Zaman.
46th over: Afghanistan 208-7 (Shinwari 11, Rashid 6) Amir, still wicketless, is back from the Kirkstall Lane end, and he’s deadly accurate – no width, no fancy stuff, just good length bowling – four dots, before Rashid produces the shot of the day, covering his stuff and whirling it through midwicket for four. Effortless brilliance. Is Rashid Khan wasted this far down the order?
45th over: Afghanistan 203-7 (Shinwari 11, Rashid 1) Shinwari drives Shaheen square for one before Najibullah – at last! - finds the boundary, driving over point in the air and the ball zips to the ropes. But the fun doesn’t last – he’s bowled off the inside edge next ball. Rashid Khan is greeted with a venomous bouncer, speared in at him from around the wicket, before nudging himself off the mark next ball.
More on that scuffle outside, courtesy of the Guardian’s Sean Ingle, to whom the ICC gave this statement: “We are aware of some scuffles among a minority of fans and are currently working with the venue security team and the local police force, West Yorkshire Police, to ensure there are no further incidents. We do not condone this type of behaviour, and will take appropriate action against any anti-social behaviour that spoils the enjoyment for the majority of fans.”
Shaheen has his third! Again! Najibullah tries to get a wriggle on, but succeeds only in inside-edging his attempted slog onto his stumps. Another Afghan batsman falls annoyingly just short of 50.
44th over: Afghanistan 197-6 (Najibullah 38, Shinwari 10) Shinwari takes a quick single off Shadab, which brings Najibullah on strike, where he needs to be. But still they can only deal in singles, five of which come from that over. Shadab ends with figures of 1-44. Afghanistan are going to be stretched to make 250 now.
43rd over: Afghanistan 192-6 (Najibullah 36, Shinwari 7) Afghanistan need to cut loose now, but Shaheen’s not the man to take on, on current form. He beats Shinwari outside off with a gorgeous, slower leg-cutter. A wide spoils things a touch, but Shinwari can’t get it away, a ferocious straight drive being sent straight at the bowler’s feet. Only three from the over.
This is the longest Afghanistan have lasted when batting first in this World Cup.
42nd over: Afghanistan 190-6 (Najibullah 36, Shinwari 6) Shinwari drives Shadab for one, as this partnership continues its sedate progress, before Najibullah is struck on the shin after missing an attempted sweep. The bowler offers a loud appeal, but is not backed up and the review is shunned. Some light milking ensues – five from the over.
41st over: Afghanistan 185-6 (Najibullah 33, Shinwari 4) Shaheen replaces Wahab and sends down a magnificent over, beating Shinwari’s edge with a beauty, luring him into the drive and seaming it away, and conceding a run only through a sloppy misfield.
Down at Lord’s, Australia have won the toss and will bat against New Zealand. You can follow that here:
Related: New Zealand v Australia: Cricket World Cup 2019 – live!
40th over: Afghanistan 184-6 (Najibullah 33, Shinwari 3) Shadab returns – Sarfaraz has shuffled his attack intelligently today – and concedes a couple of singles and a wide from a generally tidy, purposeful over in which some handy turn is extracted. Afghanistan’s ability to extract that turn later will be fascinating to observe.
39th over: Afghanistan 181-6 (Najibullah 32, Shinwari 2) Better from Wahab, the short stuff well directed, the fuller stuff offering little width to the batsmen, who can only eke out three runs from the over.
Looking ahead to tomorrow, Virat Kohli’s offered his two pennorth. No pressure lads …
Related: Virat Kohli says England are struggling to handle tournament pressure
38th over: Afghanistan 178-6 (Najibullah 30, Shinwari 1) Another emphatic reverse-sweep from Najibullah, meeting Imad’s attempted yorker on the full and sending it on its merry way to the third man boundary for four. Imad’s attempted comeback is excellent, ripping and turning one past the outside edge, before Najibullah counterattacks again with a lofted drive through the offside for four. This is a good, important knock from Najibullah. Imad ends with 2-48 from his 10.
37th over: Afghanistan 169-6 (Najibullah 22, Shinwari 1) Bad Wahab sends down another wide before Good Wahab deceives him with a short-not-short ball that Najibullah tries to duck under before realising it’s nowhere near head height. But then, after another single, Nabi perishes, holing out to Amir to give Wahab his first scalp. A well judged catch too. Five from the over.
Nabi tries to take on the short ball but his top-edged pull doesn’t have enough distance on it and Amir scuttles in from the square-leg boundary ropes to take a low catch.
36th over: Afghanistan 164-5 (Nabi 15, Najibullah 19) Imad comes on to bowl his ninth over and is reverse-swept for four with conviction by Najibullah. Lovely shot.
“Romeo is quite right (32nd over),” writes Geoff Wignall, before picking up an enormous cat and throwing it into a mega-nest full of pigeons, “but dare I suggest most (all) views are improved by not being full of pissed Yorkshiremen?”
35th over: Afghanistan 159-5 (Nabi 14, Najibullah 15) Wahab is back from the rugby stand end, and Nabi flicks at a wayward legside delivery past the keeper for four. Four leg-byes. Something of an, er, mercurial/poor over. In other news, Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Pradeep is now out of the World Cup, with chicken pox.
“Have we seen the last of beer snakes anyway?” asks John Starbuck, advocating decisively for the Green New Deal. “Given the way so many organisations are at last rejecting plastic on environmental/cost grounds, what will replace pint beer glasses? Cardboard cups probably won’t be strong enough, especially as they oughtn’t to contain a plastic inside, maybe it’s time to revive wooden tankards? You can’t make a beer snake out them either but, really, who needs them? It was just a thing for idle hands so why not introduce knitting instead? Then they’d learn the true meaning of the word ‘purler’.”
34th over: Afghanistan 152-5 (Nabi 11, Najibullah 15) Amir continues after the drinks break, and these two batsmen continue to be cautious, dealing in ones and not trying anything silly. Amir’s searing bouncer is called wide to add to the total before Najibullah finally cuts loose, finding the gaps with a brilliantly executed on-drive along the ground for four.
Our man, Ali Martin, has just tweeted some footage of a bit of an unsavoury set-to between fans outside the ground earlier. Not many involved, but looks a little unedifying. All seems harmonious inside the stadium though.
33rd over: Afghanistan 145-5 (Nabi 10, Najibullah 10) Nabi slashes hard at Shaheen, and slices in the air down to deep backward point for a single, before Najibullah digs out a decent attempted yorker. He’s dropped short a little too much today, Shaheen, but is still keeping the batsmen on the back foot, metaphorically and actually, and only three come from the over. Time for more drinks.
32nd over: Afghanistan 142-5 (Nabi 9, Najibullah 9) Najibullah pushes Amir away backward of square for one and Nabi glances another single down to third man. Another tight over, and Afghanistan need to find some momentum again.
“It’s very good to see the Western Terrace not full of pissed Yorkshiremen,” observes Romeo. Not a beer snake in sight.
31st over: Afghanistan 140-5 (Nabi 8, Najibullah 8) The aerial camera pans to Kirkstall Abbey, of which Alison Mitchell pleads no knowledge (it’s a lovely little spot for an urban walk), while the on-pitch camera shows us Shaheen being very tidily pulled to the square-leg ropes for four by Najibullah, though Sarfaraz is less than impressed with the effort Wahab made to cut it off on the boundary. Shaheen comes back later in the over with a lovely, zinging outswinger that Nabi cuts at and misses.
30th over: Afghanistan 134-5 (Nabi 7, Najibullah 3) Amir is back in the attack, and is milked for four consecutive singles, in is his most expensive over so far, which says much. He’s 0-14 from five.
“That sounds like a very nasty earworm you’ve got there, Tom (over 24),” adds Brian Withington. “Depending on your postcode, you might just qualify to have a ‘Joe Dolce Shadab’ removed on the NHS. Otherwise I recommend treating it privately via earworm replacement therapy, substituting my personal favourite, ‘Ba Ba Ba, Babar Azam’.” Ooh, that one needs to catch on. If anyone’s reading this in the ground, get to it. And don’t get me started on the postcode lottery surrounding earworm removal therapy availability. Heard anything from the so-called Tory leadership candidates on that?
29th over: Afghanistan 130-5 (Nabi 5, Najibullah 1) With two new batsmen in, Sarfaraz injects some pace into proceedings, via Shaheen, and he’s right up in Nabi’s face with a couple of short, sharp’uns, the first of which is as close to the edge as Grandmaster Flash was all those years ago. He overcooks it at one point with a short wide at Najibullah, but it’s a fine over, which yields four runs.
All this Shadab song talk has given me a rather more pleasing earworm now. This one could run and run.
27th over: Afghanistan 126-5 (Nabi 4, Najibullah 0) The all-spin show continues, and well it might with wickets now falling. This partnership will be vital. Nabi scurries a single off Shadab, which is the only run of the over. Pakistan well on top again now.
“You’re not alone in associating Mr Khan with songs he shouldn’t be in,” writes OB Jato, reassuringly. “After all, he appears every time I listen to ‘Shadab and Dance’!”
27th over: Afghanistan 125-5 (Nabi 3) Imad continues and is taken for three singles. How Afghanistan’s late middle-order performs now could decide this match, with both Nabi and Najibullah capable of hefty hitting. The No 4, Ikram, has a go too, but alas perishes, driving high and handsome-looking but straight down the throat of Mohammad Hafeez at long-on.
Abhijato has some nominative background re Afghan: “Mr Whitington, Asghar Afghan was formerly known as Asghar Stanikzai for the longest time as he led his team to new heights. Shortly before his team’s Test debut however, he changed his surname to Afghan‘in honour of protecting the national identity of Afghan citizens’. The fact that ECB is yet to amend the name almost a year after he officially changed his name shows a certain degree of, ahem, callousness.”
26th over: Afghanistan 122-4 (Ikram 23, Nabi 1) Shadab strikes! He removes the danger man Afghan with a beauty, and the new man Nabi is necessarily watchful before dabbing away on the offside to get off the mark. Then, Ikram survives a review for lbw! Ikram’s taken a big step down the track before being struck on the back pad from one that turns in on him, and ball tracking shows it’s just clipping the bails, so it’s umpire’s call.
“It’s just glorious at Headingley today,” roars Tim Sanders, “a gathering of cricket nuts from near and far. One Pakistan cheerleader near us is in sailor uniform with cap, looking for all the world like he’s in The Village People.” It’s hard to call who’d win a fans of the tournament award, but it’s a four-way toss-up between Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Afghanistan for my money.
There was a growing sense this was coming. Shadab turns one out of the back of the hand, it jags past Afghan and clips the edge off stump. Terrific bowling, and once again Afghanistan have lost a man when well set.
25th over: Afghanistan 121-3 (Ikram 23, Afghan 42) Some heartening variety, bounce and spin from Imad who concedes only a few singles from a fine over. Pakistan might not be taking wickets but they have reined their opponents in well in the past few overs.
24th over: Afghanistan 117-3 (Ikram 20, Afghan 41) Shadab continues (does his name give anyone else a Joe Dolce earworm, or am I just weird and stuck in an early 80s pop vortex?) and keeps it tight, conceding three singles. Sensible risk-averse batting too.
“I was intrigued by the batsman’s name of Afghan,” writes Brian Withington, “idly reflecting that it was probably not an example of nominative determinism, whilst wondering if anyone called (Jonny?) English had ever been capped. Then I checked my ECB app and it shows the name as (Asghar) Stanikzai instead. What’s going on there?”
23rd over: Afghanistan 114-3 (Ikram 18, Afghan 40) Imad returns to the attack, and is pushed and nudged for three singles and then spins a beauty past Afghan’s edge. There’s turn out there now, which won’t dishearten Afghanistan, given their bowling strengths.
The OBO poetry relay continues, courtesy of Uma Venkatraman:
Australia refused to crack and won again, what a bore
India came unstuck, unexpectedly, and then there were three
22nd over: Afghanistan 111-3 (Ikram 16, Afghan 39) Shadab is milked for four singles in an over that, rank full toss at the start aside, is pretty accurate. But right now Pakistan don’t look much like taking a wicket.
21st over: Afghanistan 107-3 (Ikram 14, Afghan 37) Wahab’s possibly over-doing it with the short stuff at the moment, sending down at least one short ball an over, which hasn’t greatly discomfited this pair, who are looking content with life at the moment. Three from the over, and the 50 partnership is registered.
20th over: Afghanistan 104-3 (Ikram 13, Afghan 35) Afghan takes a risky single after pushing Shadab through the offside – Ikram would have been in bother had the shy at the stumps hit. Ikram’s also in bother when Shadab rips a quick, bouncing turner past his outside edge. Good over, good contest. Half of the first 20 overs have been spin – eeh that would never have happened at Headingley of old.
19th over: Afghanistan 101-3 (Ikram 12, Afghan 33) Afghan crunches a glorious square cut to the west stand boundary for four more to take his team to three figures. They hurry a single through before Wahab tries to frighten the young’un, Ikram, with a couple of bouncers. But he survives
Got any ideas about what you’re going to listen to during the innings break? You do now – this:
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18th over: Afghanistan 96-3 (Ikram 12, Afghan 28) Shadab has a slip in this time, but slip or no, overpitched deliveries gonna get punished, and this is a productive over for Afghanistan. First Afghan advances confidently to clobber one high through the covers for four, and then a couple of singles ensue before Aghan really gets hold of one, driving it high over long-on into the stand for SIX. The experienced player taking control here.
17th over: Afghanistan 83-3 (Ikram 11, Afghan 16) A pearler from Wahab, just back of a length, zips past Afghan’s outside edge and is followed by a decent in-swinger into the top of the right-hander’s pads. A soft-handed dab past backward point brings Ikram a single, the only run from the over. And that’s drinks.
16th over: Afghanistan 82-3 (Ikram 11, Afghan 15) Shadab Khan is brought into the attack from the Kirkstall Lane end, and finds genuine turn straight away, which Afghan edges through an unfathomably vacant slip area for four. Shadab won’t be too unhappy about that (other than the field placing). Five from the over
“Bairstow was wrong (and I suspect did not mean) to generalise about all pundits (and certainly OBO journalists),” says Brian Withington, “but for me was spot on the money about the two individuals in question. Can the former England captain from Yorkshire honestly say he’s looking forward to a match winning century from YJB tomorrow, rather than a gruesome first baller? And I half expect the other one keeps a doll of Eoin Morgan for sticking pins in when he’s not busy texting ‘his mates’ in the SA team.” Ah yeah, the war between 2005 and the future will always be with us.
15th over: Afghanistan 77-3 (Ikram 11, Afghan 10) The mercurial Wahab Riaz gets his first bowl of the day, and starts with two wides from three. He’ll come good, or maybe he won’t – he embodies the the great and the infuriating about Pakistan – but he concedes four more as Ikram glides down to the third man boundary. The response is the day’s first bona fide bouncer. Six from the over.
14th over: Afghanistan 71-3 (Ikram 7, Afghan 10) The Sky commentary team get my slightly hungover juices flowing by chatting at length about the joys of Bradford curries. Also getting those juices flowing is Asghar Afghan who clips Imad with effortless beautiful brutality into the Western
Terrace Stand for SIX. Two more follow with a slightly uglier hoik towards cow corner.
13th over: Afghanistan 62-3 (Ikram 6, Afghan 2) Ikram and Afghan cool things down by pushing some ones and twos about the place from a reasonable over by Hafeez. “Watching the review for the first wicket showing Shaheen in slow motion from side on,” says Dave Adams. “Has no-one taken any ‘interest’ in his action? Or is it my eyes...?” I have to confess I didn’t, but then I was furiously typing at the time.
12th over: Afghanistan 57-3 (Ikram 3) Ikram slighly miscues a drifting arm ball from Imad, but it beats the man at point and brings him a single and Rahmat then gets his fifth boundary with a lovely deft scoop. And just as I was about to type that he looks good for 50 or more, Rahmat top-edges another arm ball from Imad, possibly deceived by its pace, and dollies it up to Babar running in from cover. Rahmat looks utterly crestfallen. He’d played so well, and so smartly, up to that point.
11th over: Afghanistan 51-2 (Rahmat 30, Ikram 2) More spin, Mohammad Hafeez replacing Shaheen. The 18-year-old Ikram finally gets off the mark with a nudge round the corner. The strike is rotated pleasingly by Afghanistan’s batsmen, though Hafeez may be encouraged by getting a decent amount of turn there. But Afghanistan have weathered the storm a little now.
10th over: Afghanistan 46-2 (Rahmat 27, Ikram 0) Imad begins his second spell, this time from the Kirkstall Lane End (how often has a spinner had two separate spells in an opening powerplay?). Funky stuff. He gives Rahmat plenty to think about, deceiving him into a risky mistimed chip just past the bowler towards mid-on and zips a beauty past Ikram’s outside edge to round off the over. The new man is still yet to score and yet to settle.
9th over: Afghanistan 45-2 (Rahmat 26, Ikram 0) Shaheen strays just a fraction towards leg and Rahmat pushes it off his hip and sends it careering down to the fine-leg boundary for four, but Ikram is somewhat more discomfited, beaten all ends up by a lovely inswinger. Five from the over.
“Veteran rant-watchers will surely recall Bob Willis going off on one in the immediate aftermath of the victory against Australia at Headingley in 1981,” recalls Justin Horton. Yep, all part of the game, and that one worked out Ok. If Bairstow makes a hundred tomorrow, everyone piling in on him now can consider themselves to have played their part. Jibing and mutual admonishment can work.
8th over: Afghanistan 40-2 (Rahmat 21, Ikram 0) Amir’s bowling very well, without reward so far, but if he keeps hitting these lengths and offering this little it will come. There’s not much Ramat can do with most of these but play them out sensibly, which he does. A nudged single on the onside is the sole scoring shot of an excellent over.
7th over: Afghanistan 39-2 (Rahmat 20, Ikram 0) Rahmat’s looking in fine touch this morning, and he sends an exquisitely timed drive past Shaheen for four before pulling over midwicket for two more. A glide to fine leg for a single completes a productive over for Afghanistan.
6th over: Afghanistan 32-2 (Rahmat 13, Ikram 0) Afganistan could probably do with a quiet over, and this one starts with a pleasing drive for one from Rahmat that brings Ikram on strike. He’s watchful as Amir finds some serious seam movement away from the left-hander, and survives a lbw verdict, correctly reviewing after the last ball of the over is inside-edged onto his pads and erroneously given out. That was fairly blatant.
“Don’t you think Bairstow has got it backwards?” asks Sayak Mukherjee. “If anything English sports writers are responsible for the hype that makes it feel like it is always coming home (and the subsequent doom and gloom when it inevitably doesn’t). Now, there is nothing wrong with hyping up your team but as with most things in life, moderation is key.” To be fair, and I know the English media can often be guilty of horrible, sometimes jingoistic, boosterism but we can only say what we see, and England have been frequently sensational in the past four years, and have hit the buffers a few times in this tournament.
Ikram is given out leg before off Amir but he thinks he’s inside-edged it. And the replays couldn’t be clearer. He has. Decision overturned.
5th over: Afghanistan 31-2 (Rahmat 12, Ikram 4) It’s all happening. The spin experiment ends and Shaheen, the star of the win over New Zealand, comes on … and his first delivery is spanked past mid-off for four by Gulbadin. Shaheen gets a bit riled and, next ball, concedes a couple of runs with a needless shy at the stumps from Gulbadin’s defensive prod, the ricochet from which gives the batsmen a chance to run two. The umpires check for a run-out anyway (never out), and Gulbadin thwacks the next ball high through the covers for four. Terrific stuff. Shaheen’s comeback is excellent though, and he thinks he’s got his man when Gulbadin thrashes outside off to the keeper. Sarfaraz reviews, and ultra-edge vindicates Pakistan. It gets better, as Hashmatullah then dollies up a catch first ball. The hat-trick ball is not as accurate, and cannons off Ikram’s pads down to fine leg for four. Fourteen runs and two wickets in that over. It’s not dull, this.
“As a lover of poetry and cricket,” writes Avitaj Mitra (is there even a difference between the two?), here’s my continuation of Abhijato’s poem:
And another! The left-handed Hashmatullah miscues first ball to mid-off where Imad takes an easy catch. Shaheen is on a hat-trick.
Pakistan make the breakthrough, as Gulbadin goes after hitting two glorious boundaries, edging behind and given out on review.
4th over: Afghanistan 17-0 (Rahmat 12, Gulbadin 5) Rahmat joins the fun, driving Amir to the long extra cover boundary for four and then pulling a short one high over midwicket for four more. Just as impressive thus far is Rahmat’s defensive play against the better balls. This is shaping up to be a fine little contest.
3rd over: Afghanistan 9-0 (Rahmat 4, Gulbadin 5) Gulbadin threads a gorgeous cover drive through the gaps to score the first boundary of the day in an otherwise tight over from Imad. Five dots and a four.
2nd over: Afghanistan 5-0 (Rahmat 4, Gulbadin 1) Amir opens from the Kirkstall Lane End, accompanied by an expectant roar – they know and we know just what a key man he’s been this summer – and he induces a play-and-miss from Rahmat with one that slants across him and just ducks back a fraction. Rahmat has to be watchful, with Amir offering him nothing. A maiden.
Another brief bit of England chat from Neil Waterfield: “Unfortunately Bairstow has got previous form for this sort of thing. When Foakes retained his place (at the expense of Bairstow) in Sri Lanka over the winter, YJB had a rant about ‘people who have never played the game’ ie journalists. He needs to grow either up, a thicker skin, or a pair!” Players want their Nasser in 2002 vindication moment I guess.
1st over: Afghanistan 5-0 (Rahmat 4, Gulbadin 1) Pakistan do an Afghanistan and open up with spin, with Imad Wasim tossed the new ball to get us underway from the rugby stand end. Rahmat gets off the mark with an assured clip to mid-on and Gulbadin likewise with a flick through midwicket. Two more follow when Rahmat plays the same clip on the onside. Good start for Afghanistan, and some confident strike rotation.
Anthem time– Afghanistan’s a jaunty, up-tempo number, Pakistan’s rather more regimented but still decently upbeat.
There’s already a cacophonous atmosphere inside Headingley, with Pakistan fans in the majority, and this should be an agreeably noisy one. Whatever other gripes one may have, the atmosphere inside the grounds has been generally excellent during this tournament, way more vibrant than for your bog-standard ODI.
“We need to talk about it,” says OB Jato, wagging a finger, turning the telly off and instructing us to sit down and jolly well listen. “Bairstow’s comments about the media wishing for his team’s failure: yay or nay?” Call it industry bias if you will, but I’d say nay – cricket writers are desperate for our sport’s profile to be pepped up by a successful England team, but the prickliness betrayed by Bairstow’s comments is a bit concerning. But let’s put it down to passions running high and move on eh.
Emails: Abhijato gets in first, as per with some verse
“A familiar rhyme can be made out of the World Cup so far:
And they line up thusly:
Afghanistan: Gulbadin Naib (c), Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Samiullah Shinwari, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rashid Khan, Hamid Hassan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman
It’s a scorcher in Leeds, around 29 degrees, and is set to stay hot. Afghanistan haven’t batted first much in this tournament but, conditions-wise, this is as good a chance as any for them to rack up a decent score. They’ve never beaten Pakistan in ODIs though, losing all of their three previous meetings.
Gulbadin calls correctly and, citing an agreeable-looking sun-kissed pitch, opts to bat first. Hamid Hassan is back for Afghanistan, while Pakistan are unchanged, Wahab Riaz having overcome a spot of finger-niggle.
Some pre-match reading on some other game this weekend. Ali Martin on England:
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Morning/afternoon everyone, and welcome to World Cup derby day. We’ve got an Antipodean set-to at Lord’s coming up later but we start with an all-Asian match-up that nine days ago didn’t look as if it would have much riding on it, and I suspected I’d be sat here trying to talk up nothingness to a listless audience of dozens. But then Pakistan cornered-tigered their way to steely wins over South Africa and New Zealand, England started imploding and now all eyes are on the new-look Headingley.
Pakistan can smell a semi-final place, as a campaign that has veered as only a Pakistan campaign can between inept capitulation and ebullient dominance hots up. Most, though not all, of their batsmen have played their way into form, with Babar Azam in particular playing with exquisite technical excellence, while among the bowlers suddenly it’s a case of if Mohammad Amir doesn’t get you, Shaheen Afridi, Wahab Riaz or Shadab Khan probably will. They will leap with joyous abandon above England and into the top four with victory today.
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