AFG vs UGA | Record Gurbaaz-Zadran partnership sets up Farooqi fifer to demolish newcomers Uganda

After being asked to bat first, Afghanistan came out all guns blazing against an inexperienced Ugandan pace attack playing its first-ever World Cup game. A flurry of boundaries from Rahmaullah Gurbaaz and Ibrahim Zadran, including four on the trot by the latter in the final over of the powerplay, had taken the score to a daunting 66/0 at the end of six overs. By the halfway mark of the innings, the duo had already surpassed the 100-run mark on the back of stellar running between the wickets and relatively risk-free shots, with Gurbaaz bringing up a 28-ball half-century. It ultimately took a rash charge down the track by Zadran against skipper Brian Masaba in the 15th over for the Cranes to finally snap the 154-run stand, the second-highest opening partnership in T20 World Cup history. Thus began a procession as Gurbaaz holed out four balls later. The final six overs went for just 31 runs at the cost of five wickets and featured no boundaries to restrict the total to 183/5.

In response, Uganda got their chase off to a disastrous start. Fazalhaq Farooqi dispatched Ronak Patel and Roger Mukasa on consecutive deliveries in the opening over and Riazat Ali Shah dug out a brilliant inswinging yorker to deny the quick a hattrick. Mujeeb Ur Rahman got rid of the side's premier batter Simon Ssesazi in his opening effort, followed by twin strikes by Naveen-ul-Haq in the penultimate over of the powerplay after which the score read 21/5. Robinson Obuya and Riazat thereafter dug in deep to combine for 29 runs off 45 deliveries before Farooqi returned for his second spell and dealt another double strike in the 13th over. The right-arm fast bowler went on to complete a maiden five-wicket haul to end with sensational figures of 5/9 and skipper Rashid Khan put the game to bed with back-to-back blows in the 16th over.

Afghanistan will be slightly disappointed that they couldn't get to 200 from the position they were in. Well done from Uganda to not concede a boundary in the last 4 overs. 

— Prajith Prasanth (@Prajithsanth22) 

Very interesting

Put into bat by Uganda, Afghanistan played magnificently & opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz 76 & Ibrahim Zadran 70 put up 154 runs opening stand & Afghanistan finished with 183-5 in the Group C match of T20 World Cup Cricket, 2024 & Afghanistan are favourites to win the match. 

— Naresh Kumar (@NareshK86614930) 

First on

Afghanistan's skipper was emotional during the national anthem in their season opener against Uganda. 

— KING BABAR AZAM FAN (@MS557866) 

It's tough for them

Uganda RCB ka record nhi todna chah rhi hai. Well done Uganda.    

— Cricket Ki Baat (@Cricketkibaat7)