Naseem Shah hit two last-over sixes as Pakistan pulled off a thrilling one-wicket win over Afghanistan on Wednesday to set up an Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka, knocking out rivals India in the process.
Chasing 130 for victory, Pakistan were in deep trouble at 118-9 before number 10 Naseem smashed Fazalhaq Farooqi over the fence in successive balls in the final over in Sharjah.
The Afghans appeared set for victory when Farooqi, who had figures of 3-19 from his first three overs, saw two full tosses at the start of the final over dispatched over long-off.
Tempers flew when Fareed Ahmad struck twice in the 19th over, including dismissing the big-hitting Asif Ali who then angrily waved his bat at the bowler as the umpire cooled him down.
Here’s a look at the reactions from the thriller between Pakistan and Afghanistan:
#AsiaCup2022 #PAKvAFG
— The Field (@thefield_in) September 7, 2022
FINAL: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 🟩
Eliminated: Afghanistan, India 🟥https://t.co/JVuBGTM59E pic.twitter.com/DERnQqjmzS
🗣️ Belief in his batting ability and exchanging the bat with @MHasnainPak – @iNaseemShah reflects on his match-winning sixes ✨#AsiaCup2022 | #AFGvPAK pic.twitter.com/sxuxu1359u
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 7, 2022
Naseem Shah👏🏻👏🏻💪💪💪💥💥💥.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) September 7, 2022
Naseem Shah is the first no. 10 / 11 player in the T20I history to finish a chase with two sixes on the winning note.#AFGvsPAK #AFGvPAK #PAKvAFG #PAKvsAFG #AsiaCup2022
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) September 7, 2022
This Asia Cup just cannot stop delivering unreal matches
— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) September 7, 2022
Not just Asia Cup, I believe cricket will benefit a lot from tri-nation and quadrangular tournaments with a good mix of countries more often. Just a lot more fun.
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) September 7, 2022
Proper nerves of steel moment by @iNaseemShah. One to remember.
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) September 7, 2022
Glad to be in the finals. Well done my boys especially @76Shadabkhan! 💚 pic.twitter.com/icc37jJkj8
Relive the moment when @iNaseemShah made history in Sharjah - the home of iconic Pakistan 6s!
— PTV Sports (@PTVSp0rts) September 7, 2022
🇵🇰Zindabad #NaseemShah #PakvsAfg #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/mDt0HShsDR
My god. NASEEM SHAH!!!!😲😲 #AsiaCup2022
— Abhinav Mukund (@mukundabhinav) September 7, 2022
What thrillers #AsiaCup has managed to produce. Wow!
— Prajakta (@18prajakta) September 7, 2022
Always knew that my brother is made up for something special, and this was very special @iNaseemShah 🚀
— Shaheen Shah Afridi (@iShaheenAfridi) September 7, 2022
A team full of stars. Best of luck for the final Team Pakistan! 🇵🇰
This celebration by Naseem Shah was so beautiful. Love the passion😍 pic.twitter.com/bDSQTMowkM
— Haroon (@hazharoon) September 7, 2022
We're all agreeing to call the two Pakistan v Sri Lanka games to come the "debt trap derbies" right?
— Andrew Fidel Fernando (@afidelf) September 7, 2022
This team though. To find different heroes every other game. Absolutely remarkable. Pretty evident how much they all trust each other. LOVE IT.
— Rehan Ulhaq (@Rehan_ulhaq) September 7, 2022
Fitting that it is Sharjah. Fitting that Ravi Shastri is doing the post match presentation.
— Vipul (@Sporty_Baba) September 7, 2022
Great game of cricket - what a Nail biter ! Well done to #Afghanistan for putting such an effort . Congrats #Pakistan - @iNaseemShah you rockstar! Champion stuff from him. #AsiaCup2022 #PAKvAFG
— Azhar Mahmood (@AzharMahmood11) September 7, 2022
#AsiaCup2022 #PAKvAFG
— Samreen (@SamreenRazz) September 7, 2022
All rivalries are now passe. Pakistan vs Afghanistan is going to be fun in the future and I am so here for it.
Brilliant stuff!
There won't be a third #INDvPAK match at #AsiaCup2022, then.
— Annesha Ghosh (@ghosh_annesha) September 7, 2022
Babar Azam at post-match presenation says he was reminded of Javed Miandad's match-winning six at Sharjah all those years back.
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) September 7, 2022
Ravi Shastri: "I was here that day, thank you for reminding!" 😅#AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/2pSzW3RqaL
Gems from Asif Ali in last 12 months
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) September 7, 2022
27*(12) v NZ
25*(7) v Afg
21*(7) v WI
16(8) v Ind
16(8) v Afg
Knocks that won't top average charts or ICC batting rankings but well worth their weight in gold.
What. A. Game. 👏👏
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 7, 2022
Match jeeta Pakistan…
Dil jeeta Afghanistan ne. Kya team hai yaar. Please thode aur matches khilao inhe against the top sides. 🫶 #AsiaCup #PAKvAFG
This Asia cup has been amazing . Very under rated tournament. Lot of Passion and great fan following. They should keep playing more of these tri and quadrangular tournaments. Always fun. #PAKvAFG
— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) September 7, 2022
Awesome performance from Afghanistan. Defending 129 with such verve. Only to lose by one wicket in the final over. Hats off.
— Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) September 7, 2022
A 6 to finish a Sharjah game with only a wicket in hand you say? Yeah I'll take it
— Osman Samiuddin (@OsmanSamiuddin) September 7, 2022
Ban-SL and Afg-Pak are greater rivalries than the Indo- Pak rivalry at the moment in Asian Cricket..
— Harisankar (@harish_staycalm) September 7, 2022
scenes from the indian dressing room :) #AsiaCup #PAKvAFG pic.twitter.com/cYPvzbtE0Z
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) September 7, 2022
Naseem Shah, the death-overs destroyer.
— Annesha Ghosh (@ghosh_annesha) September 7, 2022
Unbelievable. Absolutely mad game.#AsiaCup2022 | #PAKvAFG | #AFGvPAK
Asia Cup >> World Cup. Admit it
— Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) September 7, 2022
YouTube thumbnail pic.twitter.com/DxRamPnzyY
— Mon (@4sacinom) September 7, 2022
Naseem Shah 😄 remember the name?
— zainab abbas (@ZAbbasOfficial) September 7, 2022
In a game dominated by bowlers, Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf led an inspired attack that limited Afghanistan to 129-6 after Pakistan elected to field first.
Farooqi trapped skipper Babar Azam lbw for a first-ball duck to give Afghanistan immediate hope of defending the low total.
Babar has suffered a dip in form, with scores of 10, nine and 14 in the previous three matches.
Pakistan suffered another blow when Fakhar Zaman was run out to leave the team 18-2.
Mohammad Rizwan, the tournament’s leading run-scorer and who replaced his captain as the world’s number one T20I batsman on Wednesday, attempted to rebuild the innings with Iftikhar Ahmed.
Leg-spinner Rashid Khan broke through by trapping Rizwan lbw for 20 and the batsman trudged back to the pavilion after an unsuccessful review.
Vice-captain Shadab was sent in ahead of Khushdil Shah and he delivered by taking on Nabi’s off-spin with a six and four to ease the pressure.
A struggling Shadab, with likely cramps, fell to Rashid for 35.
But number 10 Naseem had the last laugh at a venue where former Pakistan batsman Javed Miandad once hit a last-ball six against India in the 1986 Austral-Asia Cup final.
India play Afghanistan in Dubai on Thursday in a dead-rubber, with Pakistan facing Sri Lanka on Friday in a preview of Sunday’s final.
(Inputs from AFP)