LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Afghanistan kept its hopes of a semifinal spot alive as it thumped the Netherlands by seven wickets on Friday to register its fourth win at the Cricket World Cup.
The massive win lifted Afghanistan level on eight points with Australia and New Zealand, but it still trails both countries on net run-rates.
Afghanistan have qualified for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The International Cricket Council has changed the rules, with the top seven teams in the ICC World Cup 2023 getting direct entry. Pakistan will be the eighth unit for being the host nation. Afghanistan will surely finish among the top seven.
After a fifth loss in seven games, the Dutch are set to finish in the lower half of the table with only four points despite a stunning 38-run win over South Africa.
Four of the top five Dutch batters got run out in a sub-par total of 179 as experienced Afghanistan offspinner Mohammad Nabi and young left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad shared five wickets after Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards won the toss and opted to bat.
Rahmat Shah followed his half centuries against Sri Lanka and Pakistan with another impressive 52 off 54 balls and skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi remained unbeaten on 56 off 64 deliveries as Afghanistan cruised to 181-3 in 31.3 overs.
“We bowled well, but the run-chase was good,” Shahidi said. “We are all very united at this World Cup. We are enjoying our wins, and all of them are thinking about winning. We are trying our best to make it to the semifinals and if it happens, it will be a big achievement for the country.”
The spin quartet of Nabi, Ahmed, Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, which had inspired Afghanistan to an eight-wicket win over Pakistan, troubled an inexperienced Dutch batting lineup on a slow pitch.