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With Pakistan’s cricket team, they rarely are a dull watch. In the second game of their ongoing series with Afghanistan, they managed to squeeze over the line with one ball to spare and one wicket too.

Afghanistan batting first in the second game, got their innings off to a superb start. Quite remarkably Hashmatullah’s side were 200-0 at one stage.

Babar Azam and his men would have been shell-shocked no doubt, as they struggled to contain the tide.

Explosive wicket-keeper batsmen Rahmanullah Gurbaz, (151) and Ibrahim Zadran (80) had the Pakistani captain needing to deploy a sixth-bowler due to their combined brilliance.

The partnership between the two men would come to an end when Osama Mir had Zadran caught by Iftikhar Ahmed.

A mini-collapse would follow for the Afghans. After being 227-1 in the 40th over, they would finish on 300-5 in their 50 overs.

Three hundred is still a decent total, but at this level, when being in such a position, a score closer to 350, would have been a bit more challenging.

What Afghanistan don’t have in batting, they have in Mujeeb Ur-Rahman and Rashid Khan two elite world-class spinners.

With these two players in their ranks, this in itself adds to scoreboard pressure. Pakistan to their credit started their run-chase off well enough.

In the ninth over, they lost opener Fakhar Zaman (30). That dismissal brought in Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, where he and Imam Ul-Haq (91) combined and put on 118 for the second wicket.

At 170-2, this is where the wheels were starting to come off in Pakistan’s run-chase. From being in a position of dominance, the men in green were wobbling.

A 47-run stand between Iftikhar and fellow all-rounder Shadhab Khan pushed Pakistan closer. At 258-7 and the tail remaining, Afghanistan must have thought they were finally set for a historic win against their neighbours.

The Afghans did win a three-match series where Shadhab was captain, but a pretty much full-strength Pakistan side to fall to Afghanistan would be something.

Vice-captain Shadhab Khan however seemed like he wasn’t giving up on the run-chase easily. The Islamabad United skipper who superbly Sheppard the tail, but disaster struck when he was run out for 48.

At that point, there was still eight needed. After being on the wrong end of close finishes in the past, surely Hashmatullah’s men will win here.

Naseem Shah (again) and Harris Rauf, would team up and deny Afghanistan a famous win. The third match between the two sides is on Saturday at the R Permadasa Stadium, Columbo.

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