Image Credit- AP
Afghanistan’s spinners are generally the focal point
of their victories. The opposition is being duped by Rashid Khan with his
googlies and legbreaks. Mujeeb Ur Rahman is using his carrom ball to rush
batters. Muhammad Nabi impressing with his nuanced changes.
In this World Cup, they defeated Pakistan and England
by sticking to the same plan. But in Pune, their seven-wicket victory over Sri
Lanka was different; a quick bowler set them up. Afghanistan’s left-arm seamer
Fazalhaq Farooqi took 4 for 34 wickets to help bowl out Sri Lanka for a
disappointing 241. They were Afghanistan’s second-best World Cup figures and
his finest in ODIs.
Farooqi was the top seamer for Afghanistan going into
the competition. However, he conceded 6.32 runs per over and took just two
wickets in the first four games. Thus, the team management decided to go with
Naveen-ul-Haq as their one seamer against Pakistan on a spin-friendly Chennai
ground.
The surface at Pune tends to favour seamers.
Afghanistan thus made the decision to return Farooqi and leave out Noor.
However, pitch-reading is hardly a precise science, and there wasn’t much swing
or seam movement.
On the other hand, Farooqi is very skilled. At an IPL
nets practise last year for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, he dazzled even Dale Steyn
with his wrist posture and the things he could do with it. Farooqi managed to
get the ball to move sufficiently to cause problems for the Sri Lankan batsmen,
even on this Pune field that appeared to be suited for batting.
“For the first few balls, I was looking for the
swing,” Farooqi said after being named the Player of the Match. “But
when I saw there was no swing, I tried to keep it simple, hit the right areas
and not concede too many boundaries. That was the plan for the whole spell and
that’s how I got the success.”
After five overs, Farooqi concluded with figures of 1
for 21, 19 of which were dots. Mujeeb was very economical, thus he was well
supported. Because of this, Sri Lanka achieved just 41 in the first ten overs,
by far their least successful powerplay this World Cup, even though they lost
just one wicket.
Afghanistan looks to Farooqi in particular for early
breakthroughs, and the seamer has typically delivered. He has taken 12
wickets at a strike rate of 36 in the powerplay in 2023. At 84, the remaining
bowlers from Afghanistan had seven wickets.
However, his second and third sessions on Monday had a
greater effect. Charith Asalanka, who has been a reliable No. 5 for Sri Lanka
this season, was attempting to salvage the innings once more. Farooqi made sure
Afghanistan maintained its lead in the match by using his modifications.
With almost 11 overs remaining in the innings, Sri
Lanka was reduced to 180 for 6, and Angelo Mathews was left in charge of the
tail.
For the eighth wicket, Mathews and Maheesh Theekshana
put up a valiant fight, scoring 45 runs off 42 balls. In the course of such
collaboration, Sri Lanka appeared to surpass 250. However, Farooqi was in their
way once more. Theekshana was dispatched by him using a pinpoint yorker that
splintered the woodwork. Farooqi picked up the pace in his following over, and
Mathews was unable to muster enough force to clear far on.
Afghanistan’s next game is in Lucknow, India, versus
the Netherlands. Should the pitch be made of black soil, people might think
about playing Noor once more. However, it won’t be a simple decision to exclude
Farooqi this time.