PAK vs AFG, 1st ODI: Rauf five-wicket haul helps Pakistan rout Afghanistan

Fiery pacer Haris Rauf led a tempo assault on Afghanistan with a career-best five-wicket haul to provide Pakistan a thumping 142-run victory within the first one-day worldwide in Sri Lanka’s Hambantota on Tuesday.

Rauf’s shattering 5-18 in 6.2 overs compelled Afghanistan to its second-lowest ODI totals of 59 in a staggering 19.2 overs after Pakistan had been bowled out for 201 in 47.1 overs.

The victory offers Pakistan a 1-0 lead within the three-match collection — the primary bilateral between the 2 nations — with the remaining matches in Colombo on Thursday and Saturday.

Rauf carried on the demolition act after fellow quick bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi had eliminated Ibrahim Zadran (nought) and Rahmat Shah (nought) off successive deliveries within the third over.

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It had grow to be 3-4 when Naseem Shah dismissed Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, additionally with out scoring, earlier than passing the baton to Rauf to finish the rout.

Rauf grabbed wickets of Ikram Alikhil (4), high scorer Rahmanullah Gurbaz (18), Mohammad Nabi (seven), Rashid Khan (nought) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (4) to finish the rout.

Rauf’s earlier better of 4-65 was towards England at Birmingham in 2021. Shaheen completed with 2-9.

Afghanistan’s lowest in all ODIs is 58 towards Zimbabwe in Sharjah in 2016.

Earlier, Rahman was Pakistan’s wrecker-in-chief.

The 22-year-old dismissed world primary batter Babar Azam for a third-ball duck to complete with figures of 3-33, whereas Nabi took 2-34 and Rashid 2-42.

Only opener Imam-ul-Haq with a 94-ball 61, Shadab Khan (39) and Iftikhar Ahmed (30) supplied some resistance as Pakistan’s much-vaunted batting failed on a sluggish Hambantota stadium pitch.

Batting first after profitable the toss, Pakistan misplaced opener Fakhar Zaman off the fourth ball of the match for 2 earlier than Rahman dismissed Azam and Mohammad Rizwan (21) in his first spell.

Haq steadied the innings with a fifth wicket stand of fifty with Ahmed and one other 40 with Shadab earlier than Nabi dismissed Haq and Ahmed in fast succession.

Haq’s seventeenth half century had solely two boundaries.

Ace spinner Rashid chipped in with the wickets of Agha Salman (seven) and Shaheen Shah Afridi for 2.

Shadab, who hit three boundaries in his 50-ball knock, added a useful 35-run stand with Naseem (18 not out) for the ninth wicket earlier than the latter was run out.