Zadran, Nabi star as Afghanistan bow out with a big win

Zadran, Nabi star as Afghanistan bow out with a big win

Afghanistan concluded their T20 World Cup campaign with a commanding 82-run victory over Canada at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. While a group-stage exit will sting after their semifinal run in the previous edition, the win provided a positive send-off for coach Jonathan Trott.

Opting to bat first, Afghanistan posted 200/4, their highest total in T20 World Cup history. Ibrahim Zadran anchored the innings with an unbeaten 95 off 56 balls, the highest individual score by an Afghan batter across ICC white-ball tournaments. He shared a crucial 95-run partnership with Sediqullah Atal, who made a brisk 44. Afghanistan plundered 69 runs from the final five overs.

In reply, Canada's chase never gained momentum, finishing at 118/8. Mohammad Nabi delivered a masterclass, taking 4 for 7 in what might be his final T20 World Cup appearance. Rashid Khan provided strong support with 2 for 19. Canada's innings included a poignant moment as veteran Navneet Dhaliwal, playing his final international innings, received a guard of honour and a warm farewell from Rashid Khan after being dismissed for a duck.

Brief scores: Afghanistan 200/4 in 20 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 95*, Sediqullah Atal 44; Jaskaran Singh 3-52) beat Canada 118/8 in 20 overs (Harsh Thaker 30; Mohammad Nabi 4-7, Rashid Khan 2-19) by 82 runs.