22 August 2006

AFGHANISTAN CONQUER MALAYSIA

A forlorn Malaysia contemplate the wreckage of their innings

Malaysia v Afghanistan at Kinrara Oval

AFGHANISTAN WON BY NINE WICKETS

They've taken the competition by storm and today their front-line bowlers and even their reserve batsman took Malaysia apart to win by nine wickets at Kinrara.

Malaysia aren't a bad team. They're fit, they're focussed and they have some genuine talent. But Afghanistan have more. Do more. Desire more. They played with controlled aggression to make life immensely difficult first for the Malaysian openers and then kept chipping away at the rest of the batting.

This too, it must be said with a bowling attack that was switched around to give some lesser lights a chance to shine. Kodikara took the fight to them from No. 3, hitting two fours and a six in quick order, but once he was out to a faster delivery from the off-spin of Naseer Khan Mohmand, Afghanistan were always favourites.

Ahmad Shah Ahmadi

They field well too, do Afghanistan and not only stifled any aggressive intent the Malaysian batsmen had but forced two run-outs too as the pressure to find a run, any kind of run, built.

Chasing 169, Afghanistan were knocked back by star batsman Karim Khan Sadeq being plumb lbw to the busting Kodiakara and a period of consolidation followed as usual tailender Ahmad Shah Ahmadi came into bat. Coach Taj Malik's strategy was to give those of his players not exposed to tough competition in the group stages, time in the middle.

Having respectfully played out 25 overs and approached the 100 mark for the loss of no more wickets, Nowroz Khan and Ahmadi decided enough was enough and ended the match in a flurry of boundaries.

Afghanistan now play Hong Kong in the semi-final on Thursday.

Quarter-Final 3

Malaysia v Afghanistan at Kinrara
Toss: Malaysia
AFGHANISTAN WON BY NINE WICKETS
Malaysia: 169 all out in 48.4 overs (H.Gul 3-29, M. Nabi 3-18)
Afghanistan: 172 for 1 in 27 overs (N. Mangal 78*, A. Ahmadi 73*)
Man of the Match: Ahmad Shah Ahmadi (Afghanistan)