Afghanistan, Oman share ACC Twenty20 Cup
KABUL, Nov 2 (Pajhwok Afghan News): Afghanistan and Oman Friday shared the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Twenty20 Cup as a wildly enthusiastic crowd streamed into the ground just before the last delivery of a keenly contested final - a real photo-finish - was to be thrown in by the Afghan skipper.
With the cliffhanger ending in a tumultuous draw, thousands of excited fans ringed heads of ICC, ACC, Bangladesh and Pakistan Cricket Boards on the field. After initial confusion about the outcome, match officials declared the action-packed final a tie, with contestants sharing the top honours.
But national coach Taj Malik Alam and Afghanistan Cricket Federation (ACF) President Shehzada Masood claimed their side had emerged champions after a neck-and-neck battle with Oman - an assertion that precipitated a mood of jubilation in Kabul.
Late at night, hundreds of emotional fans gathered outside the ACF office to celebrate what they perceived a hard-earned victory. Gyrating to drumbeats, the youth shouted full-throated slogans to eulogise the heroics of Afghan cricketers in a major event that featured 10 Asian nations.
Earlier, Alam told Pajhwok Afghan News over the telephone from the Gulf country Nauroz Mangal and Karim Sadiq, rattling up 50 in the seventh over, gave their team a flying start. Despite a middle-order collapse, a display of pinch-hitting by Raees Ahmadzai towards the end of the innings helped Afghanistan race to 151 for 9.
He insisted his boys lifted the cup at stake by bowling out the opposition for 150 in the stipulated 20 overs. And the ACF head, no less thrilled by the performance of his squad, remarked: "No doubt, it's a huge triumph, not only for the team but for entire Afghanistan." Since a bowl-out was deemed impossible with the crowd still gathered on the pitch, ACC officials declared the match a tie. The trophy was thus to be shared between the two nations, they decided Oman were 150 as Nauroz Mangal prepared to deliver the last ball to Awal Khan, who came down the wicket and missed, the ACC said in a press release. The keeper whipped off the bails and Afghanistan's supporters ran on to the field to celebrate.
"But Ahmed wasn't out, stumped. The umpire hadn't raised his finger. Awal Khan was rooted at the crease, with his partner half-way down the wicket. The ball was still in play; the umpires had not called over or declared the ball dead and the match complete."
Oman's batsmen had completed their run, and no further run or dismissal was possible. A tie was announced by the match officials once the players left the field. The Afghans took an Omani wicket first ball, another three balls later. Dangerous batsmen Hemin Desai and Zeeshan Ahmed went out without scoring. Nilesh Parmar and Adnan Ilyas then rebuilt superbly, stealing singles, rotating the strike and striking boundaries whenever possible.
The hundred-run partnership, the first in the tournament, came up in the 14th over, said a post-match statement on the ACC site. Then Ilyas fell for 52, Hemal Mehta went soon afterwards to a pressure catch by Mangal and Parma was run out for 66.
Farhan Khan - Oman's man of crisis - came in to bat in the 19th over with 12 runs still needed. He hit his second ball for a massive six. Five were required off the last over by Oman for what would have been a classic run-chase.
Awal Khan's run-out as a result of a brilliant throw by Shahpour Zadran from the deep was a turning point in the encounter. Next ball, Farhan Khan was caught a couple of yards inside the boundary. Another batsman was sent to the pavilion next ball, as Oman snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
Oman still needed four runs off the last three balls. A dot ball from off-spinner Mangal kept Afghanistan's hopes alive. Two leg byes saw Oman reach 150, needing just two to win. The crowd gathered on the edge of the boundary. Nauroz was to deliver the last ball that could not be thrown in because of spectators rushing on to the field.
