Afghanistan are running strong in race for semi final after defeating Netherlands by 7 wickets.

Afghanistan secured a convincing victory against the Netherlands, winning by 7 wickets in a thrilling encounter that has kept their hopes alive for a spot in the semi-finals of the ICC World Cup 2023. The match took place in Lucknow, and Afghanistan’s performance was nothing short of spectacular as they chased down a target of 180 runs with great precision.

Rahmat Shah’s brilliant knock of 52 runs, coupled with the resilient captaincy of Hashmatullah Shahidi, who remained unbeaten with 56 runs, and Azmatullah Omarzai’s impressive contribution of 31 not out, were instrumental in their team’s victory. These batsmen played crucial roles in guiding Afghanistan to success.

The Netherlands, led by Scott Edwards, won the toss and decided to bat first. However, their innings was marred by poor running between the wickets, resulting in the run-out of four of their batters, which prevented them from gaining any substantial momentum. Despite the challenges, Sybrand Engelbrecht managed to score 58 runs, Max O’Dowd contributed with 42 runs, and Colin Ackermann added 29 runs, all of which were valuable contributions to their team’s total.

It was evident that the Netherlands paid the price for their subpar running between the wickets. The Afghan bowlers, Mohammad Nabi and Noor Ahmad, were particularly effective, with Nabi claiming three wickets and Noor Ahmad taking two wickets during the match.

Afghanistan has already demonstrated their prowess in the tournament by defeating prominent teams like England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. With this victory, they have accumulated a total of 8 points in the global event, keeping their semi-final hopes alive.

Their upcoming challenges will be against Australia and South Africa on November 7 and 10, which are expected to be crucial matches that could determine their fate in the ICC World Cup 2023.