Asian Games 2023: Afghanistan beat Pakistan by 4 wickets in men's cricket semis, to face India in final

Afghanistan, a rising force in international cricket, caused a major upset against Pakistan on October 6 in the semi-finals of the ongoing T20-format tournament in the Asian Games. They secured a four-wicket victory by comfortably chasing down a total of 116 runs in the 17th over. Noor Ali and Gulbadin Naib were the standout performers, contributing 33 and 26 runs, respectively.

Opting to bowl first, the disciplined Afghan attack dismantled Pakistan's top order, restricting them to a meager total of 115 runs. Pakistan was bowled out in just 18 overs. Omair Yousuf (24) and Arafat Minhas (13) were the only batsmen who managed to make a significant impact, while the rest struggled to reach double-digit scores.

Among the standout Afghan bowlers was left-arm pacer Fareed Khan, who took 3 wickets while conceding only 15 runs. Zahir Khan also impressed with figures of 2 for 20, while skipper Naib claimed 1 wicket but conceded 29 runs.

On the other hand, the Pakistani bowling attack lacked spark, with Minhas being the only shining light, taking 2 wickets for just 11 runs in 3 overs. Usman Qadir also managed to pick up 2 wickets but conceded 20 runs.

It is worth noting that both teams fielded their second-choice players, as their primary playing XI were participating in the ODI World Cup in India. Known as arch-rivals due to their intense rivalry, Afghanistan and Pakistan are set to clash again on October 23 in Hyderabad.

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