Asif Ali clinched the match for Pakistan, beating Afghanistan with five wickets.
At the post-match ceremony Asif said: “The boundary was small from this end so I told Shoaib Malik that I’d go for it this over. Thank God we pulled it off.”
He further said: “I look at the situation and what it demands and which bowler has overs remaining, and the field setting.”
“I told Shoaib [Malik] that Naveen was bowling well, and from this end I could even score 25 in an over. So I planned for it,” he concluded.
“The bowlers bowled brilliantly at the start, but I think we gave 10-15 runs too many away,” said Babar at the post-match ceremony.
“We didn’t quite use the Powerplay as well as we hoped but Asif and Shoaib Malik at the death were brilliant. The way Asif has played many innings at the PSL, I was very confident he’d get us out of any trouble we find ourselves in,” he added.
Babar also said: “I wanted to stay till the end but got out, unfortunately. So credit to Asif Ali.”
Pakistan needed 24 runs in the last two overs. Hitting four sixes in the 19th over, Asif sealed the deal for Pakistan.
Many notables, cricketers and Prime Minister Imran Khan took to Twitter to congratulate Pakistan and thank Asif for the win. Here are a few Tweets:
While former Chief Minister of Punjab Shehbaz Sharif wants to make a flyover in Asif Ali’s name.
England’s all-rounder Ben Stokes took to Twitter and wrote: “Remember the name @AasifAli2018.”
Meanwhile, the power hitter took to Twitter and wrote: “Aur koi hukam Pakistan? Shukriya @isbunited aur woh sub log jinho ne mere per belief rakha mere mushkil waqt mai. #PakistanZindabad.”
