AFG vs PNG Ball by Ball Commentary

SIX! Gulbadin Naib finishes the game off in style! Afghanistan are through to the Super 8 stage! Chad Soper serves it right in the slot, on off, Gulbadin Naib picks up the length early and goes down town. Gets more height than distance but gets enough bat on to clear the long on fielder who ran across to his left. Naib celebrates by flexing his muscles and it is all smiles in the Afghan camp. Afghanistan win by 7 wickets with 4.5 overs to spare!

Bye! Everything happening! This is slower and it does not rise at all, outside off, Gulbadin Naib uses his feet and swings to go downtown but misses. The ball dribbles towards the keeper, Kipling Doriga who has a shy at the stumps but misses. The ball rolls past the bowling end, allowing the batters to take a run on the overthrow.

Misfield! Gets the yorker in, on off and middle, Mohammad Nabi squeezes it out to mid-wicket where the fielder lets it through his hands and concedes a single.

Pulls the length back now a bit and lands it on off, Gulbadin Naib punches it in front of square on the off side and gets to the other end.

Keeps it full and on off, Gulbadin Naib clips it aerially but to the left of mid-wicket for two runs more. Just 4 needed now.

Fuller in length, on off, Gulbadin Naib springs on the front foot and lofts it over mid on for a couple of runs.

SIX! Absolutely smoked! Alei Nao comes back into the attack and serves it with an upright seam, on a length, around off, Gulbadin Naib clears his front leg nice and early and swats it flat and over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.

And again! Darted in from around the wicket, on a fullish length, Mohammad Nabi can only squeeze this one back to Kariko.

Loops it up, on a fullish length, on middle, Mohammad Nabi jams it out back to the bowler.

This one comes in with the arm, short and outside off, Gulbadin Naib goes back and across and cuts it past backward point for a single.

Way too slow and on off, full in length, Mohammad Nabi shovels it out towards deep cover for one.

Good length around off, Mohammad Nabi presses forward and pushes it to covers.

FOUR! Magnificent shot! John Kariko lands it right on the off stump, a half-volley, Mohammad Nabi clears his front leg and drives it inside out over covers for a boundary.

Short and jagging back a bit on off, Mohammad Nabi goes for an aerial route on the pull shot but mistimes it and the ball lands just ahead of the advancing deep mid-wicket fielder for a single to end the over. Afghanistan need 20 runs now off 42 balls remaining.

Good length, just around off, Gulbadin Naib prods ahead and pushes it in front of mid off and sneaks a quick single. Good running!

Too full and outside off, Gulbadin Naib chops it on with the inside edge and onto the boot.

Gentle-paced delivery on the leg stump line, Mohammad Nabi flicks it towards deep backward square leg for an easy single.

Good length on the stumps, 121 kph, Gulbadin Naib whips it towards deep square leg for a single.

FOUR! Good shot! Short in length, on the top of off, sets up nicely for the batter, Gulbadin Naib readies himself on the back foot, rolls his wrists and pulls it nicely through deep square leg for a boundary.

Shade short and around leg, Mohammad Nabi looks to flick it but gets a leading edge that falls well short of the bowler.

Flighted on the stumps, Mohammad Nabi presses forward and defends it, and gets hit on the gloves due to the extra bounce.

Good length on the stumps, Gulbadin Naib punches it towards long on for a single.

Another appeal for LBW but turned down again! John Kariko convinces his skipper Assad Vala to go upstairs once again. Review taken. John Kariko bowls it from around the wicket and lands it in front of the stumps on a fuller length, Gulbadin Naib gets a good stride forward to defend it but plays it over the line and the ball passes closely through the inside edge and pings his front pad. UltraEdge shows there's no nick and Ball Tracking confirms that the impact is in line but the ball is missing to hit the leg stump. Papua New Guinea have lost both their reviews now.

Drifts it on the leg stump line, on a length, Mohammad Nabi misses to tuck it away and gets a brush off the thigh pad towards widish square leg for a leg bye.

Tossed up on the stumps, Gulbadin Naib knocks it down the ground to long on for a single.

Good-length delivery around off, Mohammad Nabi presses forward and defends it straight back to the bowler.

An appeal for LBW, but turned down! Assad Vala, the PNG skipper opts for a review and challenges the on-field decision. Chad Soper bowls with a beautiful seam position and lands a low full toss around the middle and leg, Mohammad Nabi is a bit late to bring his bat down and looks to flick it away, but doesn't connect and gets a ping on the front pad. UltraEdge shows no bat involved and Ball Tracking shows that the impact is outside leg. A review burnt by PNG here.

Fuller in length again, on the middle and leg channel, Mohammad Nabi flicks it along the ground towards deep mid-wicket for another couple of runs.

Full and tailing in the leg side, Mohammad Nabi plays it with a straight bat and manages to clear the inner ring over mid on and gets a double.

Back of a length, on off, Gulbadin Naib punches it off the back foot towards the left of long on for an easy single.

Bowls at a gentle pace, outside off on a length, Mohammad Nabi dabs it in between cover-point and fetches a single. The fielder from cover moves to his left and picks it up and throws it at the keeper's end.

Good early call! Dishes it out on a fullish length, on off, Mohammad Nabi jams it out in front of mid off and calls Naib through for a quick single.

At 128.4 kph, keeps it on a back of a length, on off, Mohammad Nabi defends at it tentatively off the back foot and gets an inside edge back onto his pads.

Play and a miss! Steams in from around the wicket and bowls it in the channel on off, on a back of a length, Mohammad Nabi pokes at the delivery and he is lucky not to nick this one behind.

Goes even fuller this time and it is around off, Gulbadin Naib slices it in the air but it goes on the bounce to deep cover for a run.

Pitches it right up to the batter, on middle, Mohammad Nabi clips it wide of mid on for a single.

Serves it on a short of a good length, on off, Mohammad Nabi pushes it wide of cover but gets sent back again by Naib.

Mohammad Nabi gets off the mark with an overthrow. Length delivery, on off, Mohammad Nabi pushes it in front of cover and sets off for the run. Gets sent back by Gulbadin Naib and the fielder has a shy at the batting end. There is no one to back the throw up and Nabi opens his account with a single.

Full and shaping in a touch, on middle, Mohammad Nabi knocks it along the ground to mid on.

OUT! CASTLED! Not much Azmatullah Omarzai could have done there. Norman Vanua steams in from over the wicket and attacks the stumps with a length delivery, angling in, on middle and leg, Azmatullah Omarzai shapes up to push it back past the bowler with a straight bat. The ball keeps very low and sneaks under the bat to rattle into the stumps. Vanua roars in delight as he gets his first wicket of the game.

Oh, that nearly sneaked through! Slanting in from over the wicket, fuller and on off, Gulbadin Naib shuffles across and goes for a heave across the line. Gets it off the toe-end and it then goes on to deflect off the pads. The batters cross as the ball rolls down to deep third for one.

Bowls it on a short of a good length, outside off, Azmatullah Omarzai gets on his toes and punches it to deep cover for a single.

Angling in a touch, on a length, outside off, Azmatullah Omarzai plays it late and glides it straight to backward point.

Spears it in from around the wicket, short and at the stumps, Gulbadin Naib gets taken aback slightly by the extra bounce but does well to keep it out on the off side.

Shortens his length and lands it on middle and leg, Azmatullah Omarzai works it with the angle to deep square leg for one.

Darts it back in, fuller and on off, Azmatullah Omarzai presses forward and taps it back to the bowler.

FOUR! Slashes and slashes hard does Omarzai! Quicker and shorter, on off, Azmatullah Omarzai goes for the cut but gets a thickish outside edge that flies through the vacant short third region for a boundary.

A hint of away turn, short and on off, Gulbadin Naib whips it through mid-wicket and gets to the other end. Afghanistan halfway there. 48 more runs required for a spot in the Super 8 stage.

Gets a bit of extra bounce first up, on a nagging length, outside off, Azmatullah Omarzai rocks back and rides the bounce well to cut it to deep point for a single.

Swing and a miss! Fuller in length, outside off, Gulbadin Naib skips down the track and swings to go back over the bowler's head but misses as the ball keeps low and sneaks past the inside edge.

FOUR! Short and punished! Way too short from Vanua, Gulbadin Naib gets on the back foot and fetches the pull from outside off. Drags the shot to the left of mid-wicket for a boundary.

This is short in length, outside off, Azmatullah Omarzai stands tall and gets on top of the bounce to punch it in front of square on the off side for one.

Goes full and straight, at the stumps, Azmatullah Omarzai drives it neatly but can't get it past mid off.

Lands it on a back of a length again, on off, Azmatullah Omarzai waits on it and opens the bat face to steer it to the left of backward point for a couple of runs.

Oh, that kept low! At 124.3 kph, on a short of a good length, angling in, just outside off, Azmatullah Omarzai stays leg side of the ball as he looks to guide it through the off side but misses as the ball scoots under the bat.

Pulls his length back a touch and serves it on off, Gulbadin Naib gets half-forward and pats it to cover.

Keeps it full and around the off-stump line, played back to the bowler by Naib.

FOUR! Shot! Full and on off, Gulbadin Naib gets his weight on the front foot and drills it to the right of mid off for a boundary.

In the air...but it goes just over! Soper bowls it on a back of a length with an upright seam, on middle and leg, Gulbadin Naib has a swipe across the line but gets a leading edge that goes in the air towards backward point. Two fielders turn around but the ball evades both of them. Two runs taken.

Gets the ball to nip back in this time, on a good length, on off, Gulbadin Naib pushes it with a straight bat to a straightish mid-wicket.

Starts off with a full delivery, on off, Azmatullah Omarzai leans on it and drives it to deep cover for a single.

DROPPED! Oh, no! Kipling Doriga has just put down a sitter! Alei Nao continues from over the wicket and lands it on a length, that nips away with the angle, Gulbadin Naib plays it inside the line of the ball anticipating it to come a bit closer at him but takes the outside edge that flies straight towards the right of the keeper. Kipling Doriga dives to his right but juggles in the end, eventually shelling the catch. How costly would this prove to be for PNG? Only time will tell.

Outside off on a good length, slightly nipping away, Gulbadin Naib fetches it from outside off and toe ends it towards the left of mid on.

Attacks the off stump on a hard length, Gulbadin Naib gets through the line and knocks it back at the bowler.

Varies his pace on a length, but keeps the line on the middle and leg, Azmatullah Omarzai waits for it and nudges it towards widish mid on for a quick single.

Touch full and on the middle and leg channel, Azmatullah Omarzai again closes the bat's face a bit early and takes the leading edge of the willow towards covers.

Angles it down the leg side, on a length, Azmatullah Omarzai is a bit early onto the flick shot and gets a leading edge in front of the covers.

FOUR! What a glorious on drive! Aims the toes but serves a half-volley, Gulbadin Naib knocks it solidly through mid-wicket for a cracking boundary.

On the back of a length, on off, Gulbadin Naib camps back and solidly punches it in front of mid off.

A knee-length full toss on off, Azmatullah Omarzai prods ahead and drives it crisply straight to the left of mid off and fetches a single.

WIDE! That's a bit sloppy and wayward! Slants it way across the off stump line, and beyond the guideline. Wided.

Aims a pinpoint yorker, tails in a shade as well on the middle, Azmatullah Omarzai brings the bat down in time and inside edges onto the boot. Good delivery!

Pitches it on a good length, across off, Gulbadin Naib goes back and across and punches it towards the widish deep third region for a single.

WIDE! Swinging down the leg side on a fuller length, keeps low on the bounce as well. Gulbadin Naib misses to flick it fine. The keeper collects the ball with a full-stretched dive to his left.

Across off on a length, Gulbadin Naib gets on the back foot and taps it in front of point.

A yorker outside the line of the off stump, Azmatullah Omarzai digs it out straight back to the bowler. End of a successful over for PNG.

WIDE! Full and swinging away outside off beyond the tramline. Wide given.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Swing and a miss and Gurbaz falls too. Alei Nao bowls a conventional fuller-length delivery, moving a shade back into the batter from off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz skips down the track looking to hoist it over the leg side but tries to hit it too hard and ends up losing his shape completely. As a result, the ball sneaks through the inside edge and breaks into the stumps.

Back of a length ball on the stumps, Rahmanullah Gurbaz stands tall and defends it to covers.

SIX! Didn't time it perfectly but it has got enough fire to sail over the fence. Lands it on a length, at the stumps, Rahmanullah Gurbaz uses his feet to get to the length of the ball and swipes it across the line, getting the inner half of the bat. He powerfully hits it over deep mid-wicket for a maximum. The first one of the game.

On the middle and full in length, Gulbadin Naib clips it to deep backward square leg for one.

Full in length, around middle and leg, Gulbadin Naib flicks it towards deep mid-wicket for a brace.

FOUR! Poor line and rightly punished! Angles it into the leg stump line, pitching fuller in length, Rahmanullah Gurbaz plants his front foot in line and clips it through backward square leg for a boundary.

Off the mark with a single. On the hard length, with a minimal inward movement onto the pads, Gulbadin Naib tucks it towards the leg side for a single.

OUT! YOU MISS I HIT! Afghanistan lose the first wicket and Semo Kamea and all the PNG players are ecstatic. And again, a beautiful seam position, tailing into the leg stump line from middle, on a fuller length, Ibrahim Zadran stays leg side of the ball and goes for a heave across the line but the ball stays a bit low on the bounce and skids through quickly beating the batter's inside edge and dismantles the furniture. A duck for Ibrahim Zadran.

Tails into the batter from the middle, on a fullish length, Ibrahim Zadran plants his front leg ahead and knocks it towards mid on.

On the back of a length, angling across off, Ibrahim Zadran slashes at it but misses.

OUT! LBW! A huge adamant shout for LBW and the umpire gives it a thought but raises his finger eventually! Semo Kamea pitches it around the leg stump line, and tails into the pads, Ibrahim Zadran plays over the line and the ball sneaks past the inside edge and pings the pads. Ball Tracking shows that the ball has clearly pitched outside the leg stump which saves Ibrahim Zadran.

Hurls it in on a good length and it shapes away from the right-hander, outside off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz is happy to let that one go.

FIVE LEG BYES! OH DEAR! PNG just cannot afford these silly errors. On the back of a length, on the stumps, Ibrahim Zadran gets it off the thigh pad towards backward point and sets off for a leg bye. The fielder picks up and has a shy at the striker's end but no backup leads the ball to the deep. The mid on fielder chases the ball and cuts it before the ropes and throws it to the keeper's end where the keeper also fails to collect it cleanly. The ball rolls behind the wickets and the batters cross for five leg byes.

Short of good length outside off, Ibrahim Zadran punches it on the up and the cover fielder stops it with a dive to his right.

Beaten! There's that movement outside off! On a length, moving away from the batter. Ibrahim Zadran tries to play the cover drive on the up but gets beaten on the outside edge.

WIDE! Sloppy and wayward! This time, Alei Nao bowls it on a length, but too wide outside the guideline on off, Ibrahim Zadran shoulders his arms at it.

WIDE! He will have to reload this one again! Sprays it down the leg side on a fuller length, Ibrahim Zadran misses to flick it away. Wide given.

A bit closer to the body on the top of off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz slashes it off the toe end of the bat in front of the covers and gets off the mark with a single.

Little bit of an away movement from outside off on the back of a length, Rahmanullah Gurbaz watches it closely and lets it go.