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Former Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi on Thursday unleashed mayhem to ignite the Asia Cup 2025, clobbering five straight sixes in the final over of a do-or-die Group B clash against Sri Lanka at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. His 22-ball 60, laced with three fours and six sixes, powered Afghanistan from 120 for seven in the 18th over to 169 for eight at the close.
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At one stage, Afghanistan looked unlikely to cross 120, but Nabi had other plans. After cracking three straight boundaries off pacer Dushmantha Chameera in the penultimate over, he demolished left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage in the last, smashing five consecutive sixes as Afghanistan plundered 32 runs off the over. In the space of just 12 deliveries, Nabi single-handedly swung the momentum back in Afghanistan’s favour.
It is unusual for a spinner to bowl the final over, but captain Charith Asalanka had already exhausted his pace bowling options. And Nabi, an excellent player of spin, capitalised on the opportunity in the match, which had Super Four qualification at stake for both teams.
As Wellalage missed his length in the first ball of the 20th over and fed Nabi right in the slot, the batter muscled it over long-off for a six. The bowler pulled back his pace on the next ball, and Nabi cleared it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a second maximum. Wellalage then went over the wicket and fired a 101.5 kmph delivery, but the response from the all-rounder remained the same – a six, this time down the ground.
Following a no-ball on the next delivery, where Nabi was kept quiet, the senior player completed his fifty on the next legal ball as he slammed the outside-off delivery over long-off. Six more on the next ball led to a brief chat between the bowler and the captain.
Nabi eventually missed out on matching Yuvraj Singh’s 2007 T20 World Cup feat of six straight sixes in an over, as he could manage only a single, before getting run out.
Earlier in the innings, having not been a good chasing side in the format, Afghanistan opted to bat first after winning the toss against Sri Lanka, but lost three wickets inside the power play. The batters were left clueless against the moving ball from Nuwan Thusara, who eventually finished with 4 for 18.
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