Afghanistan won the match by an innings and eight wickets. When asked to bowl first, the squad gave 282 runs against Pakistan, deemed sufficient on the Chepauk track, which was seen to aid spinners. However, the Afghan batters easily chased the goal in the 49th over.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (65) and Ibrahim Zadran (87) set the tone for the run-chase with a 130-run opening partnership. The latter was named the match’s best player.
“Mark my words, this Afghanistan team will go far in the next World Cup, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they win a few more in this World Cup as well!” “I haven’t seen this kind of talent in a long time, as they are in their early 20s! (sic),” former Indian captain Kris Srikanth wrote on the social media platform X.
Here are some of the most common public reactions:
Babar Azam Press conference leaked 😭😭😭#PAKvsAFG #BabarAzam𓃵 #AFGvPAK #CWC2023 pic.twitter.com/dygPnESmBU
— Out Of Context Cricket PK (@GemsOfCrickett) October 23, 2023