Barbados: Afghanistan faced Uganda in the 5th match of the ICC T20 World Cup (T20 World Cup 2024). After winning the toss, Uganda decided to bowl first. Afghanistan’s openers created history by giving the team a blistering start. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran broke their own 8-year-old record by making a record partnership for the first wicket.
On being invited to bat first, Rahmanullah Gurbaz made the team’s intentions clear by batting stormy in the very first over. After this, Zadran also let his game do the talking. Both the openers turned the tide against the Ugandan bowlers. Batting explosively, both completed their respective half-centuries and made a record partnership.
8-year-old record broken
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran broke the 8-year-old record by making a century partnership (156 runs). In fact, Afghanistan made the biggest partnership for any wicket in the T20 World Cup. Earlier, Mohammad Nabi and Samiullah Shinwari shared a 98-run partnership for the fifth wicket against Zimbabwe in Nagpur. Apart from this, Afghanistan registered another record in its name.
Partnership of more than 100 runs for the first wicket
Reportedly this is the second 100-plus opening partnership for Afghanistan in T20I. Earlier in 2019, Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani shared a 236-run partnership against Ireland in Dehradun. Gurbaz and Zadran shared a 156-run partnership for the first wicket. Gurbaz was dismissed for 76 runs and Zadran for 70 runs.
