Afghanistan’s hopes of progressing in the Asia Cup 2023 were shattered after their defeat to Sri Lanka in the group stage. The loss was particularly heartbreaking as it resulted from a miscalculation regarding the required run rate, leaving Afghanistan out of the Super 4s. In the aftermath of this disheartening loss, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has reached out to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to investigate whose responsibility it was to make this crucial calculation error.
During the sixth match of the Asia Cup against Afghanistan, Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat. Sri Lanka posted a formidable total of 291 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their 50 overs, with Kusal Mendis contributing 92 runs to their score. Afghanistan needed to chase down this target within 37.1 overs to qualify for the Super 4s.
Unfortunately, they fell just short by two runs, getting bowled out for 289 in 37.4 overs. Afghanistan’s chase got off to a shaky start as they lost both openers early. To stabilize the innings and maintain a quick scoring rate, Gulbadin Naib was promoted to bat at No. 3. Rahmat Shah played a brilliant innings, scoring 45 runs off just 40 balls before departing.
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Mohammad Nabi, a seasoned campaigner, entered the fray when the score was 121 for 5 and recorded a 24-ball fifty, now the fastest by an Afghan batsman. Captain Hasmatullah Shahid also contributed significantly with 59 runs off 66 balls. However, after the dismissals of Nabi (65 off 32) and Shahid, the innings began to lose momentum, and wickets fell rapidly.
Breaking news 🚨
Afghanistan Cricket Board has hired a few RCB fans seeing their speciality in calculations and probabilities. pic.twitter.com/lo8yMNep6G— Z A H I R 🇮🇳 (@zahir_n_tweets) September 8, 2023
With one ball remaining to qualify and three runs needed, Afghanistan lost their ninth wicket, that of Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who was dismissed without scoring. Unfortunately, Afghanistan appeared to take things lightly, and Fazalhaq Farooqi was on strike with two dots before getting out on the fourth ball of the over.
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What Afghanistan did not realize was that if they had scored a six and reached a total of 295 runs in the next three balls (by the 37.4-over mark), they would have qualified for the Super 4s.
The Afghanistan management was unaware that they could have improved their Net Run Rate (NRR) ahead of Sri Lanka if they had reached 293 runs after 37.2 overs, 294 runs after 37.3 overs, 295 runs after 37.5 overs, 296 runs after 38 overs, or 297 runs after 38.1 overs.
A tough but a very unfortunate loss 💔
Things were all set but suddenly it turned around completely as we fell short of victory & Super 4 by just 2 runs. Btw, extremely proud of #AfghanAtalan for the effort they have put in. Incredible stuff! 👏#AsiaCup2023 | #WakhtDyDaBarya pic.twitter.com/GCstMZgdrR
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) September 5, 2023
Jonathan Trott, the head coach of Afghanistan, expressed that the team had never been informed of these calculations and qualifying scenarios. They were simply told that they needed to secure a victory within 37.1 overs. Trott emphasized, “We were never communicated those calculations. All we were communicated was we needed to win in 37.1 overs. We were not told what the overs in which we could get 295 or 297, That we could win in 38.1 overs was never communicated to us.”
However, Trott also stressed the need for Afghanistan to engage in better self-analysis rather than dwelling on the miscalculations. He emphasized the importance of the bowlers improving their performance in preparation for the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023. Afghanistan will seek to learn from this experience and move forward with a renewed focus on their cricketing goals.
