Afghanistan's Gurbaz Eager for Victory Over Pakistan: 'I've Been Waiting for This'

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the young opener for Afghanistan, expressed his strong desire to break their streak of ODI losses against Pakistan. Prior to their remarkable record-breaking run chase, Gurbaz stated that he had been eagerly anticipating defeating their neighbors.

At the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, Afghanistan achieved their first-ever ODI victory against Pakistan. They chased down a target of 283 with just two wickets lost, marking their highest-ever chase in ODI history. This win put an end to Afghanistan's seven-match losing streak against Pakistan in one-day internationals, which had persisted since their inaugural meeting in the format in 2012.

Gurbaz, speaking about this inspiring victory, exclaimed, "So joyful. Big victory. It was incredibly amazing to have waited so long for this game. Wow!" He revealed that they had been eagerly awaiting such a victory for the past six to seven years. He added, "They always defeated us when we challenged them. We defeated them for the first time then."

Afghanistan had come agonizingly close to upsetting Pakistan in the 2019 Cricket World Cup, but they narrowly lost by just three wickets with only two balls to spare in a nail-biting finish.

The rivalry between the two sides intensified during a recent tri-series, with Pakistan narrowly edging out Afghanistan by just one wicket on the last ball. Additionally, Afghanistan had faced challenges in matching Pakistan's performance in the previous five ODIs.

Gurbaz acknowledged the excitement of the fans at home, saying, "We are aware that everyone is ecstatic at home. I'm ecstatic! Since we lost to them in the previous World Cup, the Asia Cup, and the tri-series, I have been anticipating this match." He eagerly looked forward to this encounter and played a crucial role in Afghanistan's triumph with a scintillating 65 from 53 balls, forming a 130-run opening partnership with Ibrahim Zadran to set up the record-breaking chase.

In addition to Gurbaz's performance, Rahmat Shah played a pivotal role, contributing significantly to Afghanistan's successful chase. He remained unbeaten with 77 runs from 84 deliveries and shared an unbeaten 86-run partnership with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, who scored 48 not out.

Afghanistan's remarkable performance in the World Cup continued, having previously defeated England by 69 runs, marking the second major upset in the tournament. Following their victory over Pakistan, Afghanistan now shares a four-point lead with Australia and Pakistan in the team rankings. With wins against Sri Lanka and a semifinal run commencing on October 30, Afghanistan is well-positioned for a strong campaign.

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