Afghanistan thrash Canada by 82 runs, exit high
Afghanistan delivered commanding batting display after being sent in, as both sides sought strong finish to campaign home
Afghanistan’s Blaze of Glory: Zadran and Nabi Crush Canada in T20 Swan Song
Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium pulsed under Thursday’s floodlights, the air thick with salt breeze and desperate pride. In a T20 World Cup dead rubber that felt anything but, Afghanistan roared to an 82-run demolition of Canada, signing off with heads high. Ibrahim Zadran’s silky unbeaten 95 lit up the sky, while Mohammed Nabi—41 and fiercer than ever—snared 4-7, his “President” magic turning the pitch into a graveyard. Canada? Winless, wicketless dreams dashed at 118-8 chasing 201.
Both squads, already tourney toast, craved a final flourish. Rashid Khan’s men, stung by a heartbreaking South Africa cliffhanger, channeled that fire. Sent in, they erupted for 200-4—the kind of total that whispers “statement.” Zadran, the cool opener, danced through danger, smashing seven fours and five sixes in 56 balls. One spilled catch at 54? He rubbed it in, punishing spinners like a kid in a candy store. Alongside Sediqullah Atal’s gritty 44 off 32 (two fours, two sixes), they piled 95 for the third wicket, a masterclass in rotation and risk.
Rewind to the start: Rahmanullah Gurbaz shelled early, dropped off Dilon Heyliger by keeper Shreyas Movva. Heart-in-mouth stuff. Gurbaz (30 off 20) warmed up with crisp boundaries before Jaskaran Singh snagged him at deep point, sixth over. Three balls later, Gulbadin Naib lbw for a duck—49-2. Gulp. But Zadran shouldered arms, eyes locked, accelerating like a rocket. Atal joined the party, feasting on spin; their stand choked Canada, run rate humming at 10. Jaskaran (3-52) clawed back, holing Atal out, but Zadran marched on. Late fireworks from Azmatullah Omarzai (13 off 7) and Darwish Rasooli (4*) sealed the ton-fest. Canada’s butterfingers—drops, fumbles—bled them dry.
Fielding? Afghanistan’s web was velvet steel. Sharp throws, hawk dives—pure joy. Crowd chanted “Afghan-istan,” drummers thumping like war beats back home. For these boys from war-torn hills, cricket’s oxygen—every six a defiance.
Chase time: 201 off 20? Mountainous. Canada captain Dilpreet Bajwa flashed 13 off seven before Mujeeb Ur Rahman spun him out, over three—25-1. Crumble began: Yuvraj Samra (17) and Nicholas Kirton (10) to Nabi’s wily off-spin, 33-3 by six overs. Navneet Dhaliwal bagged by Omarzai—stranglehold. Harsh Thaker (30) and Saad Bin Zafar (28) clawed a 53-run sixth-wicket patch, hearts flickering. But nope. Nabi returned, Rashid (2-19) twirled—spinners devoured seven wickets. Thaker holed to Mujeeb, Zafar lbw to Rashid. Required rate? Astronomical. Canada meekly folded, pride popped.
Nabi’s spell? Legendary. Four overs, seven runs, four poles—best World Cup figures ever for the evergreen star. “President” they call him, not just for guile but that fatherly nod to young guns. Rashid, skipper supreme, grinned post-match: pride salvaged. Zadran, five shy of a ton, fist-pumped: “For the fans.” Canada? Jaskaran’s lone spark couldn’t mask fielding woes or batting blues. Winless in three, net run rate tanked (-1.865), but hats off for fight.
This wasn’t stats; it was soul. Afghanistan, Group D’s nearly-men (two wins, one loss edge), bowed out blazing—200 on a sluggish Chennai deck, no dew mercy. Spinners ruled (7-8 wickets), proving T20’s old truth: grip it, rip it. For Kabul dreamers, a balm amid strife. Chennai’s roar? Electric, diverse—Tamils, Afghans, cricket nuts united.
Moments linger: Zadran’s slog-swept sixes soaring into Chepauk night; Nabi’s sly carrom ball bamboozling; Gurbaz’s dropped snick turning fate. Canada battled—Bajwa’s flair, Thaker’s grit—but class prevailed. T20’s beauty: chaos, comebacks, catharsis. Afghanistan departs not broken, but battle-hardened. Next World Cup? Watch out.