It was a match that was not for the faint-hearted. With just one wicket left, Pakistan made a splash in the previous few balls to defeat Afghanistan by the narrowest of margins within the second ODI in Sri Lanka. Number ten batsman Naseem Shah hit a boundary off the penultimate supply to offer Pakistan a dramatic one-wicket win over a luckless Afghanistan within the second ODI at Hambantota on Thursday.

The 20-year-old miscued a boundary off quick bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi and ran jubilantly in the direction of the dressing room as Pakistan scored 11 off the ultimate over to complete with 302-9 in 49.5 overs.

The victory gave Pakistan an unassailable 2-0 lead within the three-match sequence with the final sport in Colombo on Saturday.

“I would like to say that this year, with the chances I have got at the fag end of the innings, I hope I don’t get a heart attack someday. I am very thankful to Allah and his grace as I always try to believe in myself in situations like that,” stated Shah in a video posted by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The quote has now been broadly shared on social media.

“Let me just say that this year, the sort of situations I have had to face whilst coming into play towards the end of the innings, God Forbid I hope I don’t get a heart-attack!”: Naseem Shah relating to his innings within the ultimate over in opposition to Afghanistan within the 2nd ODI #AFGvPAK pic.twitter.com/eiysupkrse

— PakPassion.internet (@PakPassion) August 25, 2023

“When I went inside, I believed in Shadab. I believed that we will finish the match. But when Shadab got out, I felt that the situation is now all mine. The bowlers are the same and I had the trust in myself to get the team over the line.”

Shah is pleased that he has been taking Pakistan over the road on a fairly a couple of events. “I will say that it is a very happy thing and we needed this win a lot. I believed that I can do it.”

“I try to be prepared for such situations as I practice a lot of batting in the nets. I know that my turn is coming when all the breathing lines stop. So I tried again to make the team win and did it. I am just trying to earn respect and rest is all upto almighty,” he added.

With AFP inputs