AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — Quinton de Kock cemented his place in first position in the run-scorers’ chart, scoring 41 off 47 balls at the top of South Africa’s order. He hit two fours and three sixes, but Van der Dussen anchored the innings and built good partnerships in the middle overs.

Wrist spinner Rashid Khan, who plays in the Indian Premier League for Gujarat Titans at the same Narendra Modi Stadium, picked up 2-37 in 10 overs.

Andile Phehlukwayo, coming in for the rested Marco Jansen, made full use of the opportunity as he smacked 39 not out off 37 balls. He hit three sixes and put on an unbeaten 65 with Van der Dussen.

Earlier, Afghanistan started off poorly with the bat, slumping to 45-3 in 10.5 overs.

But Azmatullah Omarzai came to the rescue, striking an unbeaten 97 in 107 balls, hitting seven fours and three sixes.

Afghanistan had won the toss and opted to bat first. It fielded an unchanged side while South Africa made two changes, Phehlukwayo for Jansen and Coetzee replacing wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi..

Meanwhile, Rashid said good bye after Afghanistan’s elimination from the ICC World Cup 2023. The sub-continent team defeated England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands.

“Gave it our all one last time,” he wrote.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan reacted to Rashid’s post.

“You all have been a pleasure to watch .. Great team spirit Rash.”

Rashid took 11 wickets at an economy of 4.48 in 9 matches.

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South Africa’s legendary spinner Imran Tahir compared Rashid Khan with Shane Warne during the ICC World Cup 2023 match between South Africa and Afghanistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Rashid has been a top wicket-taker in white-ball cricket, with 181 wickets in 102 ODIs. On the other hand, he has dismissed 130 batters in 82 T20Is.

In 5 Test matches, he has added 34 scalps to his bowling figures.

Shane Warne was a legend in every aspect. He took 708 Test wickets in 145 games, while his numbers stand at 293 wickets in 194 ODIs.

“Shane Warne and Rashid Khan are different type of bowlers but genuine wicket-takers. The young spinners can learn a lot from these two. Don’t try to copy them but try to get the knowledge by looking at their bowling,” he said.

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Star spinner Rashid Khan asserted that the Afghanistan team is determined to make a strong comeback following a heartbreaking three-wicket loss to Australia in the World Cup 2023 match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

After posting a respectable score of 291 for the loss of five wickets in 50 overs, Afghanistan had Australia struggling at 91 for seven in 18.3 overs. However, Glenn Maxwell’s exceptional innings, scoring 201 runs off 128 balls during the chase, proved to be an obstacle for the Afghan team as Australia secured victory with 19 balls to spare.

Expressing his determination for a comeback, Rashid Khan shared a message on his social media.

“We’ll continue to fight,” he wrote on X.

Despite Rashid’s performance, picking up two wickets and scoring an unbeaten 18-ball 35, the loss was a hard pill to swallow.

Looking ahead, Rashid emphasized the importance of bouncing back in their upcoming match against Temba Bavuma’s South Africa. The crucial fixture is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 10, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Reflecting on the loss, skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi expressed disappointment during the post-match presentation.

“I’m really disappointed; cricket can be quite unpredictable. It was a surprising turn of events for us. We were doing well, and our bowlers had a strong start,” he said.

“The missed opportunities had a significant impact in the end. We couldn’t capitalize on those moments, and after that, Maxwell was unstoppable, credit to him. I believe the turning point was the dropped catch by Mujeeb at short fine leg. Following that, Maxwell played an impressive innings, executing all the shots and denying us any chances. Despite our bowlers giving their best, it was a challenging situation,” he added.

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Australia scripted a historic win against Afghanistan on November 7 as they beat the Hashmatullah Shahidi-led side by three wickets.

Glenn Maxwell was the star with the bat and played arguably the greatest ODI innings in cricket history. Maxwell scored 201 (128) with cramps. Australia were 91/7 while chasing a target of 292. Maxwell snatched the victory out of Afghanistan’s jaws and his knock helped Australia qualify for the semi-finals.

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Dream11 Team – VIDEO

The cricket fraternity congratulated Maxwell for his knock, but Rashid Khan, who was heartbroken with the defeat, stole the show, as he took to Twitter to congratulate Australia and Maxwell. “Well played @gmaxi_32 & @patcummins30,” wrote Rashid.

The fans praised Rashid for his sweet gesture. Here are some of the reactions.

Afghanistan still have a chance to qualify for the semi-finals. They need to beat South Africa and pray for New Zealand and Pakistan to lose their upcoming matches.

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Harbhajan Singh, Mohammad Kaif and Imran Tahir predicted Afghanistan’s win after they scored 291/5 against Australia. The ICC World Cup 2023 game is being played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and Afghans batted smartly to keep the five-time champions under pressure.

Rashid Khan’s cameo took his team to a big total in the important match. He struck 35 not out off 18 balls, with the help of 3 sixes and 2 fours.

Ibrahim Zadran was the highest scorer for his team. He smashed his fifth ODI hundred in the eighth contest.

Zadran remained unbeaten on 129 runs off 143 balls, including 8 fours and 3 sixes.

“Afghanistan will win and if the dew doesn’t come, 291 runs will become 330,” Harbhajan Singh said.

“I will also go with Afghanistan as they have put up a big total on the board,” Mohammad Kaif said.

“My choice is also Afghanistan as Australia have never chased 292 in their World Cup history,” Imran Tahir said.

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Rashid Khan hit two stunning sixes in the 50th over of the Afghanistan’s innings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. His two biggies shocked Australia pacer Mitchell Starc, who couldn’t stop the right-handed batter.

Rashid hit one of the big shots in the long-off region while the second went to the om side.

Rashid scored an unbeaten 35 runs off 18 balls, with the help of 3 sixes and 2 fours as Afghanistan managed 291/5 in 50 overs

Ibrahim Zadran accumulated 129 runs off 143 balls, laced with 8 four and 3 sixes.

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Australia will meet Afghanistan in match number 39 of World Cup 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, November 7. This match will be significant, with the race for the top four spots heating up. India and South Africa have already confirmed their place in the semi-finals, while Bangladesh, England, and Sri Lanka have been knocked out. Australia, Afghanistan, New Zealand, Pakistan, and the Netherlands are vying for the remaining two places.

Australia are currently in third position in the 2023 points table. They have 10 points from seven matches, having won their last five games in a row after beginning the competition with two losses. In their previous match, they defeated Ashes rivals England by 33 runs. Afghanistan have exceeded expectations in the World Cup, winning four of their seven matches. Like Australia, they also started the World Cup with two defeats but have since beaten England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and most recently, the Netherlands, winning all the matches by comprehensive margins. As Australia and Afghanistan prepare for their clash, here are five player battles to watch out for.

David Warner vs Fazalhaq Farooqi

After a disappointing start, following which question marks were being raised about his place in the team, Australian opener David Warner has come into his own. In fact, he is Australia’s leading run-getter in the tournament, having smashed 428 runs in seven innings at an average of 61.14 and a strike rate of 111.75. The left-handed clubbed a brilliant 163 against Pakistan in Bengaluru and followed it up with 104 against Netherlands in Delhi and 81 versus New Zealand in Dharamsala. Warner was dismissed for 15 against England, so he will want to get back among the runs.

Afghanistan’s talented left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi was the Player of the Match for his impressive figures of 4/34 in the game against Sri Lanka. He dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne, Charith Asalanka, Maheesh Theekshana, and Angelo Mathews to put the Lankans on the back foot. Thanks to Farooqi, Sri Lanka were held to 241. On his good day, the pacer can dismiss big batters. Farooqi will be challenged by Warner. Can he find a way to get past the seasoned batter?

Rahmanullah Gurbaz vs Mitchell Starc

Rahmanullah Gurbaz has had an inconsistent World Cup 2023 campaign. But on days that he has got going, he has been absolutely brilliant to watch. He began the tournament with an unconventionally sedate 47 against Bangladesh. He stood up with the bat in the game against England, clobbering 80 in quick time before getting run out. Gurbaz contributed a crucial 65 in the memorable win over Pakistan. In the last two matches, though, he has been dismissed for 0 and 10, respectively. The opening batter would look to fire against Australia.

Australia’s seasoned left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc has chipped in with crucial wickets for the team in all the matches, barring one high-scoring game against New Zealand in which most bowlers went for plenty. With that, his streak of picking at least one wicket in every World Cup game also ended. He was back among the scalps in Australia’s win over England in Ahmedabad. Starc registered figures of 2/66, getting the big wickets of Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root. The left-armer likes picking up big scalps. Against Afghanistan, Gurbaz will be a key wicket. Can Starc have his number?

Marnus Labuschagne vs Noor Ahmad

Marnus Labuschagne has proved that Australia’s decision to leave him out of the World Cup squad initially was a big mistake. With Steve Smith struggling for runs and rhythm, it has been Labuschagne who has shored up the middle order. He contributed 40s against South Africa and Sri Lanka. In Australia’s last three matches, he has contributed two vital half-centuries, scoring 62 against Netherlands and 71 against England. The batter will look to carry on in the same rhythm.

Afghanistan’s left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad has made his presence felt after being drafted into the side as the extra spinner in a team loaded with slow bowlers. He played a key role in the historic win over Pakistan, registering figures of 3/49. Ahmad dismissed Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, and Babar Azam. He starred against the Netherlands as well, picking up two wickets for 41 runs. The youngster’s skills, though, will be tested against Labuschagne, who will look to take him on for sure. This could be an intriguing battle in the making between two maverick talents.

Rahmat Shah vs Adam Zampa

The experienced Rahmat Shah has been rock steady for Afghanistan in the chase after a disappointing start to the 2023 World Cup. The 30-year-old has registered half-centuries in the last three matches and has been one of the rocks around which Afghanistan have built solid chases against Pakistan (77 not out), Sri Lanka (62), and Netherlands (52). The way he is batting, Rahmat will be extremely high on confidence when he steps on the field against Australia.

If he is in during the middle overs, Rahmat will be challenged by the guile of Adam Zampa. The seasoned Aussie leggie has been in extraordinary form. He is the second-leading wicket-taker in the tournament, with 19 wickets from seven matches at an average of 17.16. Zampa was Player of the Match against England, as he claimed 3/21. Can he end Rahmat’s resistance before the batter gets his eye in?

Josh Inglis vs Rashid Khan

Josh Inglis has made a couple of notable contributions with the bat. He scored 58 against Sri Lanka and chipped in with 38 against New Zealand. He has not been consistent but has done a reasonable job so far. He will look to make a contribution against Afghanistan too.

After his three-for against England, Afghanistan leggie Rashid Khan has only picked up two wickets in four matches. He will be keen to come up with a much better effort against a strong Australian side. At the death, he could be up against the aggressive Inglis. This tussle could be an interesting one.

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In a disappointing turn of events during the 2023 World Cup clash between the Netherlands and Afghanistan, Mohammed Kaif has pointed out the crucial role of poor judgment in the four run-outs that plagued the Dutch side.

The Netherlands, having lost four of their top five batters to run-outs, found themselves bundled out for a below-par total of 179 in Lucknow on Friday, November 3. Hashmatullah Shahidi and his team swiftly chased down the target with seven wickets and 18.3 overs to spare, keeping their hopes alive for a spot in the semi-finals.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Kaif emphasized that the failure of well-set Netherlands batters to exercise sound judgment was the primary cause of their run-outs.

“God has given you two eyes. Use them wisely. If you notice both wickets, there was no chance for a run. The batters were ready, but they ran based on others’ calls. They should have said no in both situations—Ackermann and Engelbrecht,” Kaif said.

Kaif further highlighted that both set batters got out while attempting non-existent singles, emphasizing the need for better decision-making.

“Consider Rashid Khan’s position, he stood at 20 yards, and there was no chance for a run. The ball reached him swiftly. Ackermann, a well-set batter, was in good form. If a settled batter gets run out, it creates challenges,” he added.

In the specific instances discussed, Ackermann and Engelbrecht ran on calls that led to their dismissals. Engelbrecht called for a risky single, putting Ackermann, a set batter, in a situation that led to his run-out at the striker’s end. Similarly, Engelbrecht suffered a similar fate when he did not turn down Roelof van der Merwe’s call after the spin-bowling all-rounder had hit the ball straight to Mohammad Nabi at midwicket

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Netherlands will take on Afghanistan in match number 34 of the World Cup 2023 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, on Friday, November 3. Given that both teams have beaten big sides in the tournament, this clash could be a close one. If we look at the points table ahead of the game, the Netherlands are eighth, with four points from six games. In their last match, they got the better of Bangladesh by 87 runs. Afghanistan have done even better. They are sixth, with six points from six games. Both teams will look to win to keep their hopes of qualification alive.

The Dutch were highly impressive in their triumph over Bangladesh. Batting first, they yet again recovered from a poor start to post a decent 229 on the board. Their bowlers then came to the party as Bangladesh were bowled out for 142 in 42.2 overs. Looking at Afghanistan, they, too, came up with a highly clinical display in their seven-wicket triumph over Sri Lanka. Batting first, the Lankans were held to 241, a target Afghanistan chased down in 45.2 overs. On that note, here are five player battles to watch out for in the Netherlands-Afghanistan match.

Wesley Barresi vs Naveen-ul-Haq

To be fair to the Netherlands, their batting has struggled, and the middle and lower order has bailed them out of trouble numerous times. 39-year-old Wesley Barresi, playing his first match of the 2023 World Cup against Bangladesh, showed some defiance, scoring a resilient 41 off 41, although he would be disappointed not to have carried on. Barresi’s knock gave the Netherlands some platform after their openers Vikramjit Singh and Max O’Dowd fell cheaply again. With all his experience, Barresi could be the Dutch team’s answer to their top-order woes.

Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq has had a decent time with the ball without producing anything sensational, barring the brute to dismiss Jos Buttler. In six matches, he has claimed six wickets, picking up some crucial scalps. Naveen-ul-Haq claimed two wickets each in the games against New Zealand and Pakistan. He went wicketless against Sri Lanka and would be looking to get back among the wickets. The scalp of Barresi against the Netherlands would be a significant one.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz vs Logan van Beek

Afghanistan would be pleased that destructive opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz has lived up to his reputation of being a dangerous striker of the ball. The batter has been one of the many reasons behind Afghanistan’s memorable and historic World Cup campaign. Gurbaz slammed 80 off only 57 balls in the triumph over England. Against Pakistan, he smashed 65 off 53 as the team eased to victory in a chase of 283. As Afghanistan look to try and push for one of the four semi-final slots, Gurbaz’s performance against the Netherlands could be significant.

All-rounder Logan van Beek has been one of the star performers for the Netherlands in the 2023 World Cup. With this right-arm pace, the 33-year-old has claimed nine scalps. Van Beek registered brilliant figures of 3/60 in the historic win over South Africa. He also claimed 4/74 in the disappointing loss to Australia. In the game against Bangladesh, he chipped in with a figure of 1/30. Van Beek is someone who always seems to be among the wickets, and this knack is really helping the team. Can he knock over Gurbaz cheaply in the match on Friday?

Scott Edwards vs Rashid Khan

Netherlands captain Scott Edwards has led from the front with the bat in quite the literal sense. He has shown the way to the team. Beginning his campaign with a duck against Pakistan, the Dutch skipper has been a significant contributor with the willow in both of Netherlands’ win in the 2023 World Cup. He scored an unbeaten 78 off 69 as Netherlands upset South Africa in Dharamsala. In the team’s 87-run triumph over Bangladesh in Kolkata, he contributed a defiant 68 off 89 balls.

Afghanistan will need to see the back of Edwards early for them to have a good chance of beating the Netherlands. Leg-spinner Rashid Khan could be key here. The 25-year-old, who has played 100 ODIs now, has done a reasonable job with the ball, but much more will be expected of him against the Netherlands. He claimed a three-for in the win over England, but since then, he has claimed only two wickets in the last three games. Rashid has kept things tight, though. Can he frustrate Edwards into a false stroke by stifling him?

Rahmat Shah vs Aryan Dutt

Rahmat Shah has brought all his experience into play in the 2023 World Cup to play an important role in securing vital wins for Afghanistan. Rahmat had a poor start to the World Cup, registering scores of 18, 16 and 3. Since then, he has scored 36, 77 not out and 62. Both his half-centuries have come in winning causes against two former world champions – Pakistan and Sri Lanka, respectively. He will be looking to make it a hat-trick of wins to try and push Afghanistan towards another memorable win.

Young off-spinner Aryan Dutt has been impressive for the Netherlands. He has chipped in with wickets in almost every game for the team. He picked up a two-for against New Zealand and a three-for against Sri Lanka. In the last two matches, he has one scalp each. Can he get the big one of Rahmat against Afghanistan?

Azmatullah Omarzai vs Paul van Meekeren

Azmatullah Omarzai has excelled with the bat for Afghanistan. The 23-year-old smashed 62 off 69 against India after the team got off to a poor start. Versus Sri Lanka, he was in firm control, hammering six fours and three sixes in his unbeaten 73 off 63 balls. Can he carry on his batting momentum in the match against the Netherlands?

Paul van Meekeren has been one of the bowling stars for the Netherlands in the World Cup. He claimed 2/40 in the win against South Africa and came up with a stellar spell of 4/23 in the triumph over Bangladesh. Van Meekeren will be high on confidence heading into the Aghan challenge. Can he ace the battle against Omarzai if their paths meet?

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Afghanistan is making waves in the World Cup 2023, capturing the attention and admiration of fans. Unlike their dismal performance in the 2019 edition, where they lost all games, the team has now secured three wins against England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. With six points in hand and three more games to go, Afghanistan is determined to push their limits and stay in contention for a top-four finish.

Following their convincing victory over Sri Lanka, a video shared by the ICC showcased a pivotal moment in the Afghan team’s journey. Star leg-spinner Rashid Khan, in a motivational huddle before the match, inspired his teammates with a powerful pep talk, urging them to give their all on the field.

“Keep these three things in mind. First, give your all in every ball—whether it’s batting, bowling, or fielding. Concentrate solely on battling the other team. Forget about the result; instead, pay attention to the details, as they will contribute to the larger picture. Fight for each ball,” Rashid Khan said.

“Even when I step onto the pitch to bowl later, I’ll give my full effort for the team, regardless of how wet the ball is. Whether we’re bowling first or second, we’ll trust ourselves in every moment and give it our all. Thousands pray for us and tune in to watch our matches, eager to witness Afghanistan’s victory. Cricket is the sole source of joy and happiness in Afghanistan,” he added.

“As a team, let’s avoid pressure, instead, concentrate solely on putting in the effort. People crave witnessing genuine, honest effort, not just the outcome. So, as a team, we’ll step up, give our best, and most importantly, ensure we maintain smiles on our faces. Keep going, boys,” he concluded.

Watch here:

Afghanistan’s outstanding performance in the tournament signifies a remarkable change from being seen as underdogs to becoming giant killers. They are proving their strength by defeating strong opponents and establishing themselves as a formidable force.

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