AFG VS UGA - 5th Match, Group C, ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2024

Afghanistan have done themselves a great favour by upping their NRR should it come down to that for semi-final qualification. Dew was evident today but it hardly mattered to Rashid and Co. who bowled beautifully. Barbados gave a Super Over yesterday. The action shifts to Barbados again as England and Scotland kick-off their campaign in a few hours time. Can defending champs get off to a great start like Afghanistan or do Scotland have an upset plan? Rest up and join us on the ride to find out. See you soon!

Rashid Khan | Afghanistan captain: This is the kind of start we wanted as a team. We have worked hard for the last 2-3 weeks. Great effort overall. Proud feeling to be leading the team in a World Cup. Tough games coming up, so it's about keeping it simple and giving your 100%. So many options in all phases of the game with this line-up. Lucky to have the bowlers who can bowl at any stage. 2023 World Cup gave us so much confidence and the belief that we can beat any team. It's about keeping it simple and focusing on our game rather than thinking about the opponents. Big game coming up against New Zealand. For me more than the result how and what sort of effort we put in will matter more.

Brian Masaba | Uganda captain: Special moment to hear our national anthem and see our flag at the World Cup. It's a moment that I will cherish for the rest of my life. They got a pretty good start. It was about fighting back and I thought we pulled it back pretty well at the end with the ball. Credit to them for playing well. One of the top bowling sides. Good seamers and quality spinners. We will look to bounce back better against PNG

Fazalhaq Farooqi | Player of the Match: Congratulations to all Afghan fans on the victory. (On missing hat-trick) I have missed a hat-trick 7-8 times in my career. It’s not something in my control but I will try better in the future. (Plans today) I tried to bowl into the wicket and see what happens. It swung from the beginning and later on I tried to bowl slower since it wasn’t coming onto the bat that nicely. Playing franchise cricket surely helps. When you play big games with big players, it helps you coming into a tournament like this. (Translated from Pashto)

Stats round-up by Roshan Gede

Five-fors for Afghanistan in T20Is
5/3 - Rashid Khan vs Ireland, Greater Noida, 2017
5/9 - Fazalhaq Farooqi vs Uganda, Guyana, 2024
5/11 - Karim Janat vs West Indies, Lucknow, 2019
5/13 - Samiullah Shinwari vs Kenya, Sharjah, 2013
5/20 - Mujeeb Ur Rahman vs Scotland, Sharjah, 2021 T20 WC
5/27 - Rashid Khan vs Ireland, Dehradun, 2019

Best bowling returns in Men’s T20 WC
6/8 - Ajantha Mendis (SL) vs ZIM, Hambantota, 2012
5/3 - Rangana Herath (SL) vs NZ, Chattogram, 2014
5/6 - Umar Gul (PAK) vs NZ, The Oval, 2009
5/9 - Fazalhaq Farooqi (AFG) vs UGA, Guyana, 2024
5/10 - Sam Curran (ENG) vs AFG, Perth, 2022

Biggest victory margins in Men’s T20 WC
172 runs - SL vs KEN, Johannesburg, 2007
130 runs - AFG vs SCOT, Sharjah, 2021
130 runs - SA vs SCOT, The Oval, 2009
125 runs - AFG vs UGA, Guyana, 2024
116 runs - ENG vs AFG, Colombo RPS, 2012
This was also the second biggest win for Afghanistan in all T20Is after the aforementioned game against Scotland in 2021.

Lowest all-out totals in Men’s T20 WC
39 - NED vs SL, Chattogram, 2014
44 - NED vs SL, Sharjah, 2021
55 - WI vs ENG, Dubai, 2021
58 - UGA vs AFG, Guyana, 2024
60 - NZ vs SL, Chattogram, 2014
60 - SCOT vs AFG, Sharjah, 2021

23:49 Local Time, 03:49 GMT, 09:19 IST: Afghanistan have outclassed Uganda quite easily. It was Gurbaz who took the attack to them early with the bat in powerplay. It gave time for his partner Ibrahim to get going and the duo motored along nicely for a 150+ stand. Uganda picked up wickets towards the end but anything over 150 with Afghanistan's spin and pace quality was always going to be difficult for Uganda even with dew setting in very early. Farooqi killed their mood with wickets off successive balls in his very first over. Mujeeb got one next over and Naveen came on for a double-strike. The innings was pretty sedate for a while until Farooqi came back to be on a hat-trick once again in the game. He did pick up three wickets in the same over to record his maiden fifer and Rashid Khan cleaned up the tail after a few minutes.

Rashid Khan to Ssenyondo, out Bowled!! Knocked him over! Googly from Rashid Khan, Ssenyondo leans forward to defend, ball sneaks through bat-pad gap and disturbs the stumps. 125-run victory for Afghanistan. Ssenyondo b Rashid Khan 0(1)

Rashid Khan to Ssenyondo, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!

Henry Ssenyondo, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Rashid Khan to Bilal Hassan, out Lbw!! Nine down and Rashid has his man finally after so many LBW shouts. Googly on the shorter side, Bilal tries to the reverse sweep and misses. Impact in line with off and ball smashing middle stumps says ball-tracker. Bilal Hassan lbw b Rashid Khan 8(16) [4s-1]

Rashid Khan to Bilal Hassan, THATS OUT!! Lbw!!

This looks out LBW and given. Didn't look like bat this time. Impact definitely in line. Bilal is walking off before the third ump checks ball-tracker. That's because he knows its plumb LBW

Rashid Khan to Bilal Hassan, no run, leggie outside off stump, Bilal moves off-side and tries to pull, misses

Rashid Khan to Bilal Hassan, no run, advances and gets hit on the pad

Rashid Khan to Bilal Hassan, 2 runs, advances and drags this slog to deep mid-wicket

Rashid Khan to Bilal Hassan, no run, Rashid will have to wait for his first wicket. Googly on the stumps, Bilal got an outside edge before the ball hit the pad. Kumar Dharmasena missed the edge and a successful review from Uganda

Given out LBW this time. Reviewed by the batter. Clear bat involved

Great spell from Fazalhaq Farooqi - 4-0-9-5

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Bilal Hassan, 1 run, full and outside off stiump, Bilal drives through cover

Fazalhaq Farooqi to Bilal Hassan, no run, oh almost the sixth! Bowled a lovely slower delivery that deceived the batter and force a shot very early, ball took out the stumps. Gurbaz underarms the throw onto the stumps but the batter was in