Afghanistan wrap up series clean sweep against Netherlands
Cricket
Afghanistan wrap up series clean sweep against Netherlands
DOHA (AFP) - Afghanistan sealed a series whitewash of the Netherlands on Tuesday in the third one-day international in Doha, boosting their 2023 World Cup qualifying bid.
Najibullah Zadran smashed a 59-ball 71 as the Afghans posted 254-5 from their 50 overs, before their spinners induced a Dutch collapse from 103-0 to 179 all out.
The 75-run victory was Afghanistan s sixth win from as many matches and moves them up to fifth in the 13-team 2023 World Cup Super League table.
The top eight nations will earn automatic qualification for next year s global showpiece in India.
Afghanistan have played in each of the last two ODI World Cups.
Batting first for the third successive game in the series, Hashmatullah Shahidi s men made a solid start, with Riaz Hussan and Rahmat Shah making 50 and 48 respectively.
Najibullah provided the impetus to set a challenging total, smashing eight fours and three sixes in his innings.
The Netherlands made a brilliant start to their chase with a 103-run opening stand between Scott Edwards and Colin Ackermann.
But leg-spinner Qais Ahmad, making his ODI debut, trapped Tonga-born wicket-keeper Edwards lbw for 54 to start a procession of wickets.
Rashid Khan dismissed Ackermann for 81 and the Netherlands offered very little other resistance.
The 21-year-old Qais, who has starred in T20 franchise cricket around the world, took the last two wickets to finish with figures of 3-32.
