Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi hails "special player" for exceptional performance against Netherlands
Nov 03, 2023
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 3 : Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi hailed "special player" Mohammad Nabi whose magic with the ball spun them to a seven-wicket victory over the Netherlands in the ongoing World Cup on Friday.
Nabi stepped up for the team and scalped three in a crucial game for Afghanistan which saw them leapfrog over Pakistan to fifth spot in the points table.
After the game, Shahidi sang praises of the veteran all-rounder and said, "He is a special player. He always shows his talent. Whenever the team needs him, he takes responsibility, like he did today. We are all very united at this World Cup. We are enjoying our wins, and all of them are thinking about winning."
It was an all-round display that guided the Afghanistan team to a comfortable victory and the third time that they did while chasing the target in the ongoing tournament.
Shahidi talked about the success that they have enjoyed recently and said, "I can say both. We bowled well but the run-chase is good. Third consecutive time that we have chased down a target successfully. We are looking at the board and at the target of the opposition team. We are playing accordingly, and we are achieving for our team."
With this victory, Afghanistan moved to the fifth spot with eight points and took a step closer towards a spot in the semi-final. As hopes of an unprecedented spot kindle in the hearts of Afghanistan players, Shahidi talked about the importance of the objective for the team as well as for him personally.
"Of course, 100 per cent. We are trying our best to make it to the semi-final and if it happens, it will be a big achievement for the country. I lost my mother three months ago and my family is in a lot of pain. It will be a big achievement (to reach the semi-final), first of all for the country, but also for my family," Shahidi added.
Coming to the match, Afghanistan restricted the Netherlands to a total of 179. In reply, Afghanistan chased down the total in 31.3 overs after losing three wickets.
