November 3, 2023
Afghanistan secured a resounding 7-wicket win against the Netherlands in a high-stakes ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 encounter in Melbourne on Friday. Chasing a target of 180, Afghanistan was led by Rahmat Shah and Hasmatullah Shahidi's half-centuries. The Netherlands, batting first, posted a modest 179. With this win, Afghanistan is a step closer to making it to the semifinals.
Rahmat Shah and Hasmatullah Shahidi stitched together a 100-run partnership for the third wicket to lay the foundation for Afghanistan's chase. Rahmat Shah scored a fluent 75 off 82 balls, while Hasmatullah Shahidi remained unbeaten on 62 off 73 balls. The duo paced their innings perfectly and rotated the strike well to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Afghanistan lost a couple of wickets in quick succession towards the end of the chase, but they managed to cross the finish line with 7 wickets in hand and 11 overs to spare.
Earlier, the Netherlands were bowled out for 179 in 49.4 overs. Max O'Dowd top-scored for the Netherlands with a 55-ball 57. Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan were the pick of the bowlers for Afghanistan, claiming 3 wickets each.
Afghanistan's win over the Netherlands was their third in five matches and has propelled them to the fifth position in the points table. The Netherlands, on the other hand, have slipped to the seventh position with two losses in four matches.
