Afghanistan won their first World Twenty20 warm-up match in Chittagong on Sunday, beating the Netherlands by 35 runs via the Duckworth/Lewis method after a power failure interrupted the game. Afghanistan, who face Bangladesh in the World T20 opener on March 16 in a match likely to decide the Group A winner, won the toss and posted 150-7, led by captain Mohammad Nabi’s 40 off 25 balls and matching 39s from Karim Sadiq (off 33 balls) and Shafiqullah (off 26 balls).
The Afghans got off to the worst possible start, losing Mohammed Shahzad off the first ball of the innings. A 47-run
partnership between Sadiq and Nawroz Mangal (7 off 18) saw them through to the ninth over before both fell in quick succession, leaving the side a pedestrian 52-3 at the halfway point with Nabi and Shafiqullah new at the crease.
The pair put on 80 together, including 75 of the 98 runs Afghanistan scored in the last 10 overs, to give their side a fighting total against the Dutch minnows. Ahsan Malik took 3-28 in his four overs for the Netherlands.
The second innings was delayed by a power failure at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, and when play resumed the target was revised to 122 from 15 overs.
The Netherlands got off to a flying start thanks to openers Michael Swart (20 off 15) and Stephan Myburgh (14 off 7), but wickets tumbled quickly and frequently, and their side was bundled out for 86 in 12.3 overs. Aftab Alam took 4-25 in three overs and Hamza Hotak took 3-16 in 2.3 to cut through the order.
BRIEF SCORES
Afghanistan 150-7 in 20 overs (M Nabi 40, Karim 39, Shafiqullah 39; MAA Jamil 3-28) v Netherlands 86 in 12.3 overs (M Swart 20; Aftab 4-25).
Result: Afghanistan won by 35 runs (D/L method).
-With New Age input
