Pakistan now has an unbeatable advantage in the ODI series after Naseem Shah shatters the Afghan dream.

Following their stunning triumph in the first game, Pakistan defeated Afghanistan by one wicket in the second game of the one-day international (ODI) series on Thursday in Hambantota, Sri Lanka.

Considering that they won the first ODI by 142 runs and the series, the Men in Green maintained their outstanding performance.

Naseem Shah, who led Pakistan to a victory against the same opposition in Asia Cup 2022, once again guided the Green Shirts to a thrilling victory in the last over as they needed 11 runs off 6 balls.

Chasing the target of 301 runs, Pakistan lost Fakhar Zaman for just 52 runs but it was Imam-ul-Haq and skipper Babar Azam, who formed a 118-run stand and got their team in a dominant position.

Babar was bowled by Fazalhaq Farooq just before he reached his fifty, though, and the winning team thereafter started to lose wickets.

The game appeared to be lost for the Green Shirts at one point, but Shadab Khan’s 48 off 35 scored helped his team come back into the contest.

Dramatic moments occurred in the final over when Shadab, who was on the non-striking end, was managed by Fazalhaq as he ran to the crease to deliver the ball.

But, after Shadab’s bizarre dismissal, Naseem took charge of Pakistan’s batting and led them to a victory.

Earlier in the first innings, Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored 151 runs to help Afghanistan post 300-5 in 50 overs.

After deciding to bat first, Afghanistan’s opening pair of Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran scored 227 runs together. It was Afghanistan’s second-highest ODI partnership.

Usama Mir dismissed Zadran (80) before he could complete his fifth ODI century. However, Gurbaz persisted and finished his 150-yard run-a-ball. In the 45th over, Shaheen Shah Afridi got him out, but Pakistan had already suffered great loss. He hit three maximums and 14 boundaries during his powerful knock.

Shaheen claimed two wickets, Naseem Shah one, and Usama one each.

Rahmat Shah and Azmatullah Omarzai, who retired hurt in the first ODI, were replaced by Riaz Hassan and Shahid Kamal for Afghanistan in the second ODI.

Pakistan were unchanged for the contest.

Playing XI

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Abdul Rahman, Shahid Kamal, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf.