Although the scoreline may suggest otherwise, Afghanistan had their fair share of moments throughout the series, demonstrating their ability to compete against top-tier teams.
Pakistan achieved a resounding 3-0 victory over their neighboring rivals, sealing a comprehensive whitewash and thus becoming No. 1 ODI team. This triumph comes at a crucial time, with the Asia Cup and World Cup looming on the horizon. Undoubtedly, this result will serve as a confidence booster for Babar Azam and his team. Although the scoreline may suggest otherwise, Afghanistan had their fair share of moments throughout the series, demonstrating their ability to compete against top-tier teams.
After a late resurgence with the bat, Pakistan carried the momentum into their bowling performance. While Shaheen Afridi struggled to find his rhythm, his new ball partner, Faheem Ashraf, was in top form right from the beginning. Making his return to ODIs after a two-year hiatus, Faheem consistently extracted steep bounce from the surface, dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran during the initial powerplay.
Just when it appeared that the pitch had become easier to bat on, Shadab Khan showcased his magic with a double strike in a single over, opening the floodgates for Pakistan. The other two spinners, Agha Salman and Mohammad Nawaz, also contributed to Afghanistan's misery. With the opposition reeling at 97-7, complacency crept into Pakistan's game, allowing Mujeeb Ur Rahman to launch a fierce counterattack. The Pakistani bowlers seemed helpless in finding a way to dismiss him, until Mujeeb's own mistake of hitting the wicket led to his downfall.
Like Pakistan, Afghanistan had a cautious start in the first few overs. However, their cautious approach quickly turned into a shaky one as the talented duo of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran were dismissed cheaply. Despite surviving the challenging phase against the new ball, Riaz Hassan failed to capitalize on his start. After his departure, Afghanistan's performance took a nosedive.
Amidst the struggle, Shahidullah Kamal displayed resilience and found support in Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who captivated everyone with his powerful hitting. Even after Shahidullah's departure, Mujeeb Ur Rahman remained composed and continued to score at a rapid pace, achieving the fastest fifty for Afghanistan in ODIs. Just as Afghanistan started to regain hope, Mujeeb fell in an unfortunate manner, crushing his team's aspirations.
In the earlier stages of the match, Babar Azam (60) and Mohammad Rizwan (67) both reached half-centuries, contributing to Pakistan's total of 268 for 8 against Afghanistan in the third and final ODI in Colombo. Gulbadin Naib emerged as the standout bowler, claiming figures of 2 for 36 in 9 overs.
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