Dawlat Zadran of Afghanistan celebrates after dismissing Calum Macleod of Scotland. Photo / Getty Images
Live updates and ball-by-ball statistics of the Cricket World Cup pool A match between Scotland and Afghanistan in Dunedin.
Majid Haq and Alasdair Evans shared a 62-run partnership for the ninth wicket to lift Scotland to 210, its highest total at the Cricket World Cup, after being sent in to bat Thursday by Afghanistan.
Commentary
Afghanistan won the toss and reduced Scotland to 144-8 in a match between teams chasing their first wins in a World Cup match before Haq made 31 and Evans 28 in a partnership which carried Scotland past its previous highest score at a World Cup, the 186-6 it made against South Africa in 2007.
The ninth-wicket partnership lasted almost 13 overs before the innings ended off the last ball of the final over.Shapoor Zadran took 4-38 and Dawlat Zadran 3-29.
In all three pool matches at the University Oval the team winning the toss has fielded, giving its bowlers first use of a pitch which has provided some seam movement when the ball is new.
Dawlat was the first of the Afghanistan bowlers to flourish in those conditions, dismissing openers Calum MacLeod (0) and Kyle Coetzer (25).
Throughout its innings Scotland lost wickets in clusters, established small rebuilding partnerships then again lost momentum when wickets fell in quick succession. After slipping to 7-1 in the second over, Scotland recovered briefly before losing Hamish Gardiner (5) and Coetzer to make it 40-3.
Matt Machan and captain Preston Mommsen put on 53 for the fourth wicket before Machan was out for the equal top score of 31. Mommsen followed for 23 at 95-5.
Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi used his bowlers sparingly and well, bringing back Dawlat, Shapoor and Hamid Hassan at critical times to intensify pressure.
Shapoor and Hassan are tall, strong bowlers who can generate brisk pace and exploit bounce. They were well supported by the slower bowlers including Gulbadin Naib, who started in place of the injured Mirwais Ashraf, and Nabi who bowled with nagging accuracy.
Afsai Zazai was brilliant behind the stumps, as he has been throughout the tournament, taking three catches.Afghanistan has won five of eight previous matches between the teams, including three of their last four.
Scoreboard
Manhattan/Worm
Wagonwheel
The White Ferns have remarkably reached the final.