 Afghanistan will play Kenya in the third ODI of the three-match series
at the Nairobi Gymkhana ground. Kenya had won the first ODI rather easily to take
a 1-0 lead while Afghanistan crushed Kenya in the second to make it 1-1.
Afghanistan was the favourites to win the series and some had even said that
would be going in and making it 3-0. Fortunately for the Kenyans, the first
game was won by them when they were able to surprise the Afghanistani side getting
them all out for a sub-100 total.
Click for Live Score Card of Kenya Vs AfghanistanThat game had had its own issues for the Afghanistan side, who could
not bat too well after the openers fell and the rest of the team had collapsed.
In the second game, Afghanistan continued to bowl as well, Samiullah Shenwari
scalped three wickets and the Kenyans were bowled out for 139. Without any contribution
from Jimmy Kamande who was dismissed for a duck and a failure from Steve
Tikolo, the Kenyans were sent packing and bowled out cheaply.
Afghanistan had then done well to get to the target in a short span of 27 overs
with the batsmen coming really good. Asghar Stanikzai played a masterful innings
of a half century, making 55 off 62 balls, while being ably supported by Mohammad Shahzad. The Kenyans had tried hard but the target was far too less to make
an impression.
With so much dependence on Tikolo to deliver each time he fails the side has
failed to get a move on as it happened in the previous game.
In the third game of the ODI series, Kenya will need to think of batting second.
The track at the Nairobi Gymkhana looks to be supporting the bowlers in the
first half of the match and that will mean that the time winning the toss could
elect to field first again.
The momentum has shifted now, however, in favour of the Afghanistan
side. They will look to play in the manner that they have in the recent time
- attacking, aggressive cricket, with an attitude to finish off the opposition.
Whether the Kenyans are able to counter that under their new captain remains
to be seen.
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