AFG VS NED ODI

That's all from this contest. Afghanistan have gained vital 10 points and jumped to number 8 in the ICC Men's CWC Super League table. 20 points are still up for grabs for both teams in this series. The second ODI is on Sunday, 23rd January at 12.30 pm IST (7 am GMT). Do join us in advance for all the coverage. Cheers!

Hashmatullah Shahidi, the Afghan skipper, is also the Man of the Match for his sensible knock. Says that it was a satisfying day for them and they played well. Admits that they were 30 runs short but praises his bowlers for doing a commendable job. Shares that the ball was not coming onto the bat in the first innings and the pitch improved for batting in the second half. Appreciates the knock of Rahmat Shah and praises his spinners. Shahidi wants to keep improving and play even better in the next game. He is happy to have four wins in the CWC Super League and hopes to win the next two games as well and finish strongly. Regarding his knock, Shahidi replies that his son wanted him to play well in the first game as captain and he is happy to deliver. Admits that there was a bit of pressure but he learnt a lot from this experience of leading the team. Further says that the ball was staying low so he wanted to bat till the end of the innings as it wouldn't have been easy for the new batters to bat on this track.

Pieter Seelaar, the Dutch skipper, says that there were a couple of chances missed in the field and that hurt them a bit. Feels that they were in the game for quite a long time. Praises the skills of Rashid Khan and Yamin Ahmadzai and calls them too good for Netherlands. Tells that he has no regret of bowling first and adds that at the halfway mark, they were confident about getting the target but feels that they lost Scott Edwards at the wrong time and it was too much to ask from their lower order against quality Afghan bowlers. Lauds the effort of all his bowlers and calls it unfortunate to lose this match. Shares that the conditions were very cold and windy and he hopes to have better weather for the next game. Mentions that they competed well, they have got a bit of match rhythm and would look to do better in the next game. States that with a bit more effort they can get over the line. Finishes by saying that it will be a hard-fought series and there is plenty at stake.

Presentation time...

The Afghan spinners, as expected, choked the flow of runs and bowled with accurate lines. Pieter Seelaar consumed too many balls and scored too little. That mounted pressure and let the required rate slowly go out of reach. Scott Edwards was the nucleus around whom this chase revolved for the Netherlands and as soon as he was sent back by Mujeeb, the writing was on the wall. Seelaar did try to fight hard with debutant Boris Gorlee but they only delayed the inevitable. All in all, it would be fair to say that the Dutch team walked straight into the trap of Afghanistan by staying too patient with the bat and waiting for the opportunity to score runs. It never arrived.

In pursuit, the Netherlands made a confident start to the chase. Scott Edwards showed the right intent to score runs and the pitch also appeared to settle down in the afternoon. They gathered 45 runs in the first 10 overs for the loss of one wicket and had got the perfect platform to express themselves in the middle overs. But after the fall of the first wicket, Afghanistan managed to exert some pressure and grabbed a few quick wickets.

Clinically done in the end by Afghanistan! This was their kind of a game. They knew the conditions better than anyone and their batting innings although raised a few eyebrows, the Afghans knew what they were doing. Afghanistan kept forming stands and didn't care about the scoring rate. The plan though didn't work out to go big at the backend but still, whatever runs they put on the board appeared to be above par on this surface.

OUT! RUN OUT! There it is! The final wicket to end what has been a brilliant game for Afghanistan. Back of a length, around off. Fred Klaassen looks to heave it away but gets the inside edge on the pads. It rolls to the off side and they look for a single. Najibullah Zadran though runs in from point and scores a direct hit at the bowler's end. Fred Klaassen is short and that is the last wicket. Afghanistan win by 36 runs!

Brandon Glover is the last batsman.

OUT! RUN OUT! Easy decision for the TV umpire this time! Fullish and around off, Vivian Kingma forces it out on the off side. He crosses for a risky single as the bowler misses his shy at the non-striker's end. Vivian Kingma wants the second but is sent back. Meanwhile, Rashid Khan fires a direct hit at the bowler's end from long on as Vivian Kingma tries to drag his bat inside the safety crease. They appeal and the TV umpire is called. Kingma though is seen to be walking off. The replays find him short.

Direct hit at the bowler's end from Rashid Khan. They appeal and the umpire refers it upstairs. Vivian Kingma is not waiting though and starts to walk.

The batsman has just blocked that from his crease.

Full ball, around off. Kingma looks to block it from the crease but misses. There is a noise as the ball goes past the stumps. The Afghan players enquire if it clipped the stumps this time but the umpire is not interested.

Length ball, wide outside off. Slapped to sweeper cover for one.

Back of a length, on off. Fred Klaassen defends it from the back foot.

Full, on off. Blocked back to the bowler.

Loopy ball, outside off. Kingma tries to defend but misses as the ball spins away.

Kingma is safe! Tossed up, lands outside off and comes back in. Kingma looks to block but it sneaks through the gate. It goes very close to the off pole and since there are no bails, it's tough to give it bowled. Rashid though is appealing. The umpires have a word. The TV umpire is called in and after looking at it from various angles, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that it clipped the off stump.