Afghanistan cricket team support staff, including their analyst, came under the scanner after the team missed out on qualifying for the Super 4s of Asia Cup 2023 due to a blunder in understanding the qualification scenario during a thrilling chase against Sri Lanka in Lahore on September 5.
Having lost the opening game to Bangladesh by 89 runs, Afghanistan were in a must-win situation against Sri Lanka in their final Group B game. They not only needed a win but faced a tricky qualification scenario to make it to the Super 4s based on Net Run Rate.
Opting to bat first, Sri Lanka posted 291/8 on the board and Afghanistan needed to chase it down in 37.1 overs or get to 295 in 37.5 overs.
Initially, the broadcasters missed mentioning it as they only showed the first scenario. However, the on-air commentators kept highlighting the extended qualification scenario for Afghanistan.
As it turned out, Afghanistan kept themselves in the hunt on the back of a stunning knock from Mohammad Nabi (65 off 32 balls). Rashid Khan took the matter into his hands after Nabi's dismissal and he brought the equation down to 15 off 7 balls.
Rashid displayed his big-hitting prowess under pressure as he smashed Dunith Wellalage for three boundaries in the 37th over.
However, in the first delivery of the 38th over, Afghanistan lost their ninth wicket as Mujeeb Ur Rahman tried to clear a boundary but was caught at long-on in Dhananjaya de Silva's over.
Afghanistan could have qualified if they had hit another boundary as 295 in 37.5 overs would have done the job. However, No. 11 batter Fazalhaq Farooqi refused to take a single and get Rashid Khan back on strike.
It was clear that Afghanistan were unaware of the second qualification scenario. Farooqi was eventually declared LBW in the fourth delivery of the 38th over as Afghanistan were bowled out for 289, losing the match by two runs and also bowed out of the competition.
The defending Asian champions survived the scare and joined India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in the Super-4 stage of the tournament.
Pakistan and Bangladesh will square off in the first Super-4 match in Lahore on Wednesday (September 6).
