Scotland stun Afghanistan in WC qualifiers

A F GHANI S TA N c a p t a i n Rashid Khan bemoaned moaned having the worst of the conditions, after Calum um MacLeod struck a magnificent ficent 157 not out to lead Scotland cotland to a surprise sevenevenwicket win in their opening 2019 World Cup qualifier at Bulawayo on Sunday. ay.

A f g h a n i s t a n , one of t he prer e - t o u r n a m e n t favourites to qualuali f y, made 255 a l l out batt i ng f i rst, st, b u t Ma c L e o d h a m mer e d 2 3 fours and a si x in h i s b l i s t e r i n g

146-ball k nock to lead Scot Sco land to v ictor y wit h 16 deliveries deliveri remaining.

“The wic wicket was difficult to bat on. It wasn wasn’t coming good onto t he bat,” sa id 19-yea r-old Khan (pic t u red, A FP), t he f i r st ever teenager to skipper a men’s internationa l si side.

“Later on when the sun came out, it was totally different and it was quite easy ea to bat on. The toss is really important imp in these games, but that’s not no in our hands, there’s nothing we can do about that.” Hosts Zimbabwe Zim lead the early Group B ta table, though, after their 116-run th thrashing of Nepal, while the United Unite Arab Emirates and Ireland got g off to winning starts in Group A against Papua New Guinea and the Netherlands respectively. respectiv

The 10 teams in Zimbabwe are fighting it out for only two places alongside the world’s top eight ODI sides at next year’s World Cup in England and Wales.

A famous Scotland win looked unlikely when 16-year-old Afghan legspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman dismissed openers Matthew Cross and Kyle Coetzer inside the first six overs.

But Ri c hi e Ber r i ngt on j oi ned MacLeod at the crease as the pair put on a 208-run stand to see off Afghanistan and gain a measure of revenge for their narrow defeat by the same opposition at the 2015 World Cup.

Irish beat the Dutch

E l se where, Z i mbabwe r e s t or e d some confidence after their 4-1 series defeat by Afghanistan last month by crushing Nepal as both Sikandar Raza and Brendan Taylor hit hundreds.

Ireland, who have beaten Pakistan, England and the West Indies over the last three World Cups, got off to an impressive start with a comfortable 93-run win in a weather-shortened game against the Dutch.

Andy Balbirnie’s 68 led the Irish to 268-7, before Tim Murtagh took three wickets as the Netherlands slumped to 149 all out in pursuit of 243 from 41 overs.

The UAE, who gave two-time world champions the West Indies a scare in a warm-up match earlier in the week, had litt le t rouble in br ushing aside Papua New Guinea to edge ahead of Ireland at the top of Group A on net r un rate.

The Windies get their Group A campa ig n u nder way aga i nst t he UA E today.