This Day, That Year: Afghanistan’s first win in the World Cup, against Scotland, 2015

Feb 26, 2021

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This Day, That Year: Afghanistan’s first win in the World Cup, against Scotland, 2015 Image

Afghanistan had played their first 50-over match against Scotland. In four years, they were facing each other in a significant contest and trying to claim their first win in a World Cup.

Afghanistan did not have a great start to their 2015 World Cup campaign. They had lost their first match, against Bangladesh, by 105 runs. Then to Sri Lanka, by four wickets. But now, despite these results, they had a chance, for now, they were up against Scotland. 

There were no favourites as such given the fact. The Scots were also coming off back-to-back defeats. But they were playing their third World Cup (though they were still without a win), while Afghanistan qualified for the first time, an enormous feat considering their journey since 1995.

After attaining ODI status in 2011, Afghanistan had played their first 50-over match against Scotland. In four years, they were facing each other in a significant contest and trying to claim their first win in a World Cup.

Afghanistan decided to field first. The decision paid off as Shapoor Zadran (4-38) and Dawlat Zadran (3-29) provided a good start and bowled consistently to dismiss Scotland for 210 runs. From 40/3 in 11.1 overs, some recovery was done by Matt Machan (31 off 28), but Afghanistan were soon back in control. Mohammed Nabi got Machan, while Gulbadan Naib sent skipper Preston Mommsen back in the following over. The Scots lost five wickets for 51 runs and were tottering at 144/8. A 62-run eighth-wicket partnership between Majid Haq (31) and Alasdair Evans (28) eventually took their score beyond 200.

A good start from Javed Ahmadi set the tone for the Afghan chase. They crossed 40 in seven overs. However, two back-to-back wickets, of Nawroz Mangal and Asghar Afghan, put the Scots in the drivers’ seat. Ahmadi was dismissed for 51 in the 19th over. A dramatic phase of five overs saw the Afghans lose four more wickets for 12 runs as the seamers Josh Davey and Richie Berrington took two wickets each.

Samiullah Shinwari stood amid all these, but at 97/7, he was desperately in need of support at the other end. Dawlat helped him add 35 before he went for the big shot. Mommsen took a great running catch off Berrington (4-40). 

Hamid Hassan, the next man in, fought doggedly while Shinwari kept playing shots from the other end. He passed his highest score of 82. They added 60 in 11.5 overs and Shinwari (96 off 147) was just one shot away from a memorable hundred. He smashed Majid for three sixes in the 47th over before sending the fifth ball of the over straight to Davey at the deep-midwicket. There was some confusion over the number of fielders Scotland had inside the circle, but the umpires eventually ruled Shinwari out.

Afghanistan required 19 in 19 balls now. Hassan and Zadran, Nos. 10 and 11, kept the scoreboard moving. They blocked, nudged, and nicked to get runs one by one. The objective was to not waste a single delivery. Shapoor hit the last ball of the 49th over for a boundary, leaving them to score five off the last over. Shapoor got a life on the second ball. He hit a boundary off the next through deep square leg and Afghanistan sealed a memorable win. 

For Afghanistan, it laid the foundation of their much glorious journey. Since then, there had been no looking back and they attained Test status in 2017. Scotland, on the other hand, missed a golden opportunity.