Tarouba [Trinidad and Tobago]: Following his side’s seven-wicket win over Papua New Guinea, Afghanistan pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi elaborated on his bowling plans which have helped him dominate the tournament so far.
A magnificent three-wicket haul by pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi and a fine knock by Gulbadin Naib powered Afghanistan to a seven-wicket win over Papua New Guinea in their ICC T20 World Cup match at Trinidad and Tobago on Friday.
Speaking after the game in a post-match presentation, Farooqi said, “I want to congratulate the entire team because we have now officially qualified (for the Super Eight). I feel proud. Before the warm-up match, I was in the IPL. I did not get any chances there, unfortunately. I played just one warm-up game. I know how to carry my body and I just tried to keep it simple. I try to get some wickets if there is some movement or swing. If there is nothing, then I try to go to plan B, not go for boundaries and keep it simple. We have to give our 100 per cent and we will try our best to do it in the last match as well.”
Coming to the match, Afghanistan won the toss and put PNG to bowl first. PNG kept losing wickets at regular intervals, with Fazalhaq Farooqi (3/16) and Naveen ul Haq (2/4) firing all cylinders in the first half of the innings. Though wicketkeeper-batter Kiplin Doriga (27 in 32 balls, with two fours) played a fighting knock, PNG was restricted to 95 runs in 19.5 overs.
In the run-chase of 96 runs, Afghanistan lost their openers early and was reduced to 22/2. A partnership of 33 runs between Gulbadin Naib (49 in 36 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and Azmatullah Omarzai (13 in 18 balls, with a four) and a 46-run partnership between Naib and Mohammed Nabi (16* in 23 balls, with a four) helped Afghanistan reach the winning total in 15.1 overs.
Farooqi took home the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
With this win, Afghanistan have made it three wins in three matches and reached the Super Eights stage along with West Indies. Also, New Zealand, who have lost to Afghanistan and WI so far, have crashed out from the tournament.
