WIvAFG: Rashid doesn’t get mad, he gets seven

Aghanistan star claims 7-18 to stun West Indies by 63 runs

GROS-ISLET, SAINT LUCIA: Rashid Khan destroyed the West Indies batting line-up with outstanding figures of 7-18 to bowl Afghanistan to a stunning 63-run victory in the opening fixture of a three-match ODI series at the Darren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia on Friday.

After opener Javed Ahmadi's 81 provided the foundation for the visitors' total of 212-6 batting first, leg-spinner Rashid tore through an inept home team batting line-up to claim the fourth-best bowling figures ever in an ODI, routing the Caribbean side for 149 off 44.4 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the series ahead of the second match at the same venue on Sunday.

Surprisingly brought on as the sixth bowler by his captain, Asghar Stanikzai, with the West Indies at 68-2 after 22 overs, Afghanistan's premier bowler had an instant, devastating impact, removing Jason Mohammed and debutant Roston Chase with his first two deliveries. He then repeated the feat at the start of his second over in prising out topscorer Shai Hope (35) and captain Jason Holder.

At that point he had taken four wickets for one run and he added the scalp of Ashley Nurse shortly after to have the hosts tottering at 90-7.

Jonathan Carter and Alzarri Joseph then added 45 runs for the eighth wicket before Gulbadin Naib had Carter caught on the midwicket boundary, paving the way for Rashid to return to finish off the match with the wickets of Joseph and Miguel Cummins in quick succession to seal a famous victory.

"I have worked hard on my bowling and this was a really special effort for the people of Afghanistan who have suffered so much in the past week," said man-of-the-match Rashid, while also acknowledging the devastating truck bombing that killed more than 150 people in Kabul last week. "West Indies are a big team and to achieve this against them is brilliant."

Holder was left bewildered by both his team's capitulation and the painfully slow batting which preceded it. "There's really no explanation for what happened out there other than we were not professional in the way we went about getting those runs," he stated. "I won't even respond to suggestions that we underestimated Afghanistan but will expect us to come with a totally different effort on Sunday."

Stanikzai, on the other hand, was delighted. "I knew on this pitch a total of 220 would have given us a chance," said Stanikzai. "We weren't at our best in the T20's and I am happy we are now showing what we are capable of."