Asif Ali struck four sixes in the penultimate over to see Pakistan clinch a five-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the Twenty20 World Cup Super 12s with six balls to spare in Dubai.
Afghanistan v Pakistan scorecard
Afghanistan 147/6 (Nabi 35*, Gulbadin 35*; Imad 2-25)
Pakistan 148/5 (Babar 51 (47); Rashid 2-26)
Pakistan won by five wickets
Report
Pakistan maintained their flawless start to the tournament with their third successive victory against an Afghanistan side who had fought back to put themselves in a good position.
At the end of the 18th over, Pakistan needed 24 from 12 deliveries and Ali had faced just one ball, but Karim Janat struggled to execute the yorker and was taken for 24 in an over by Ali who finished with 25 from just seven balls.
Earlier in the innings Rashid Khan claimed his 100th Twenty20 international wicket, becoming the fastest player to do so, in just 54 matches when Mohammad Hafeez picked out Gulbadin Naib in the deep for just 10 runs.
After the powerplay, Pakistan had reached 38 for one following the early loss of wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, for just eight.
However, that brought Fakhar Zaman to the increase and alongside the captain Babar Azam they put on a crucial partnership which saw the score reach 72 for one at the halfway point.
Azam top-scored with 51 from 47 after opening at the top of the order, before being bowled by Rashid Khan in the final over of the leg-spinner’s spell.
But despite Khan finishing with two wickets and going for just 26 runs from his four overs, it was not enough for Afghanistan in the end.
They had struggled to make runs and had only scored 104 for six by the end of the 17th over.
However the following over was an expensive one, with Naib doing the damage as 21 came off Hasan Ali’s over.
The penultimate over of the innings followed in similar fashion, with Haris Rauf taken for 15 including three boundaries to help Afghanistan reach a respectable total of 147 for six, as Naib finished with 35 from 25 deliveries.
The result ensures Pakistan consolidate their position at the top of the table while Afghanistan sit second with one win and one defeat so far in the Super 12s stage.