NED VS AFG - 34th Match, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023

The juggernaut rolls on for Afghanistan and the self-belief in their camp would be sky high! They have always been valiant fighters and with momentum on their side, the fire will be burning intensely in their bellies! They effected as many as four run-outs today and that lifted their side up! They are peaking at the ideal time! Other teams, better watch out! This loss would be a tough pill to swallow for Netherlands but they shouldn't lose heart as they have already given a lot of memorable moments for cricket fans all around the globe to cherish. And now, we buildup for tomorrow's double-header - New Zealand will be taking on Pakistan first up and that would be followed by England squaring off against Australia. A big day tomorrow in the context of the tournament as the race for the remaining three semi-final spots intensifies. Do join us nice and early to catch all the action! This is Abhinav Guha signing off on behalf of Abhinand Raghavendran, Anurag Hegde, Saurabh Shankar and Praveen. Till then, goodbye and cheers!

Hashmatullah Shahidi: I would say both, we bowled well but the run-chase also. It's the third time we are achieving a target. Especially in this World Cup, we are looking at the target of the opposition. We are playing according to the situation and achieving for the team. (On Mohammad Nabi) He is a special player. Whenever the team needs him, he shows the way. We all are very united, we all are enjoying the wins and all of them are thinking about the team. We are trying our best to make it to the semi-finals. If we make it, it would be a big achievement for us. I lost my mother three months back, so my family is in pain, so it will be a big achievement for our country first and then for me also. I would like to give a message - there are a lot of our refugee people in struggle, we all are watching their videos and we feel their pain. I dedicate this win for them.

Scott Edwards: Definitely not ideal! Four run-outs from our top five batters. We started well but we lost our way. They have top-quality spinners and we couldn't recover. You can't really plan for the dew. We have done well batting first, a 280 sort of score would have been good even with dew around. We will have to regroup and bring ourselves back for the England game.

Stats courtesy Roshan Gede

Afghanistan No.3-5 in this World Cup
First four matches: 306 runs at 25.50, SR: 68.6, 50s: 2
Last three matches: 457 runs at 228.50, SR: 94.03, 50s: 6

> Afghanistan had three 50-plus partnerships across their first four matches in CWC 2023. They’ve had eight in their last three outings. They also had just four individual fifties in their first four matches combined, before racking up eight across the last three games.

Most 50-plus scores for Afghanistan in a single World Cup
3 - Rahmat Shah (2023)
3 - Hashmatullah Shahidi (2023)
2 - Samiullah Shinwari (2015)
2 - Hashmatullah Shahidi (2019)
2 - Azmatullah Omarzai (2023)
2 - Rahmanullah Gurbaz (2023)

Consecutive 50-plus scores for Afghanistan in World Cups
3 - Rahmat Shah (2023)
2 - Ikram Alikhil (2019-2023)
2 - Hashmatullah Shahidi (2023)

Most 50-plus scores for Afghanistan in World Cups
5 - Hashmatullah Shahidi
4 - Rahmat Shah
Rahmat Shah also became the first Afghanistan batter to complete 500 runs in World Cups today.

Most successful run-chases at CWC 2023
5 - India
3 - Afghanistan
2 - New Zealand
2 - Pakistan
2 - Sri Lanka

Afghanistan in World Cups
First 17 matches: One win, 16 defeats
Last 5 matches: Four wins, one defeat
Four of Afghanistan’s five WC wins have come while chasing.

Mohammad Nabi, Player of the Match: Just focused on my line and length, focused on bowling dot balls. Always try to be consistent with my line and length and use my variations. Always stick to my plans and use the angles. Variations are more variable on some pitches and that’s why I get wickets. I always try to keep it tight and hence bowl with a good economy. Work on my fitness and my diet, still my body is going good and happy to play for Afghanistan.

20:04 Local Time, 14:34 GMT, 20:04 IST: Third clinical run-chase in a row for Afghanistan and they have become a force to reckon with at present! 179 was always going to be a paltry total on a decent batting surface and Netherlands had their backs to the wall at the halfway stage. Had it not been for Engelbrecht’s fifty, things would have been even more gloomy for the Dutch. Gurbaz was strangled down leg quite cheaply by van Beek and Zadran couldn’t make an impact either as van der Merwe knocked him over. But, there was no scoreboard pressure on Afghanistan. Rahmat Shah looked fluent from the get-go and found the perfect foil in Shahidi. Both of them kept scoring runs at a brisk pace and batted Netherlands out of the game. The bowlers tried their best but they didn’t have enough runs to play with. Perhaps, winning the toss and opting to bat backfired on Netherlands. The ball came onto the bat nicely under lights and dew also played its role - the Afghanistan batters made merry. Rahmat Shah notched up his third fifty in a row but couldn’t see his side through. But, Shahidi stood tall, scored an unbeaten fifty and along with Omarzai, led Afghanistan to a convincing victory. Special mention for the Afghani spinners as they were relentless - especially Nabi, who bowled his best spell of the tournament so far. Stick around for the presentations...

Aryan Dutt to Shahidi, FOUR, Shahidi finishes off in style! Another clinical run-chase for Afghanistan and they are making it a habit now! Shahidi uses his feet, gets close to the pitch of the in-drifter, and smashes it over mid-wicket for a one-bounce boundary. Customary handshakes all around and there are some beaming faces in the Afghanistan camp. Quite a clinical display this

Aryan Dutt to Shahidi, no run, Shahidi uses his feet once again but is not quite to the pitch of it, Adjusts to punch it to extra cover

Aryan Dutt to Azmatullah, 1 run, on the shorter side on off, punched past the left side of the diving short mid-wicket fielder for a single. Just 3 more needed for Afghanistan

Ackermann to Shahidi, no run, drifting in on a length towards middle and leg, played with an angled bat towards point

Ackermann to Shahidi, no run, Shahidi uses his feet and is not quite to the pitch of it. Blocks it eventually

Ackermann to Shahidi, wide, quicker and flatter, drifts down leg, wided

Ackermann to Azmatullah, 1 run, on a back of a length outside off, knocked down to long-on with the spin