It took eight attempts for Afghanistan to beat Pakistan in One-Day International cricket, and it happened on the grandest stage -- in the ICC Cricket World Cup and at one of the most iconic venues -- at Chennai's Chepauk. Chasing a stiff target of 283 runs, Afghanistan rode half-centuries from top-three Rahmanullah Gurbaz (65 off 53), Ibrahim Zadran (87 off 113) and Rahmat Shah (77 not out off 84) to fulfil the long cherished dream with an over to spare. But it was Hashmatullah Shahidi, the skipper, who hit the winning runs -- a four. He remained unbeaten on 48 off 45. (As It Happened | Scorecard | Photos | Full Coverage)
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first. The 1992 champions got off to a good start, then Babar Azam himself played a captain's knock (74 off 92) but they were stifled by the Afghan bowlers, led by teen sensation and World Cup debutant Noor Ahmad. Yet still, a late flourish from the bats of Shadab Khan (40 off 38) and Iftikhar Ahmed (40 off 27) gave the much-needed impetus and Pakistan managed 282/7. Sadly, it proved too small a total against an inspired Afghanistan side.
With that here's a look at the all key stats and numbers from the 22nd match of the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 between Pakistan and Afghanistan:
- Abdullah Shafique scored 58 in this game to provide the 441st occasion of an opening batter scoring a fifty in an innings in the World Cup. It also provided the 40th occasion of a Pakistan opening batter scoring a fifty in the World Cup.
- His knock presented the 117th occasion of an opening batter's fifty going in vain in the World Cup. It also provided the 15th occasion of a Pakistan opener's fifty in an innings going in vain in the World Cup.
- Babar Azam scored 74 in this game to provide the 189th occasion of captain scoring a fifty in an innings in the World Cup. It also provided the 19th occasion of a Pakistan captain scoring a fifty in an innings in the World Cup.
- His knock presented the 65th occasion of a captain’s fifty going in vain in the World Cup. It also provided the ninth occasion of a Pakistan captain’s fifty going in vain in the World Cup.
- Babar Azam became the second Pakistan captain to witness his two fifties going in vain in the World Cup. His 50 against India at Ahmadabad on 14.10.23 went in vain too. Asif Iqbal was the other Pakistan captain to witness his two fifties going in vain. Iqbal scored 53 against Australia in 1975 and 51 against England in 1979. Thus Azam became the first Pakistan captain to witness his two fifties in a single edition of the World Cup going in vain.
- Azam became the tenth captain to witness two or more fifties in a single edition of the World Cup going in vain. All such occasions are tabulated below:
| Player | Runs | Team | Opp | Ground | Start Date |
| Mohammad Azharuddin | 93 | IND | AUS | Brisbane | 01-Mar-92 |
| Mohammad Azharuddin | 61 | IND | WI | Wellington | 10-Mar-92 |
| Mohammad Azharuddin | 55 | IND | NZ | Dunedin | 12-Mar-92 |
| Mohammad Azharuddin | 79 | IND | RSA | Adelaide | 15-Mar-92 |
| Babar Azam | 50 | PAK | IND | Ahmedabad | 14-Oct-23 |
| Babar Azam | 74 | PAK | AFG | Chennai | 23-Oct-23 |
| AB de Villiers | 77 | RSA | PAK | Auckland | 07-Mar-15 |
| AB de Villiers | 65* | RSA | NZ | Auckland | 24-Mar-15 |
| Faf du Plessis | 62 | RSA | BAN | The Oval | 02-Jun-19 |
| Faf du Plessis | 63 | RSA | PAK | Lord's | 23-Jun-19 |
| Jason Holder | 56 | WI | RSA | Sydney | 27-Feb-15 |
| Jason Holder | 57 | WI | IND | Perth | 06-Mar-15 |
| Dimuth Karunaratne | 52* | SL | NZ | Cardiff | 01-Jun-19 |
| Dimuth Karunaratne | 97 | SL | AUS | The Oval | 15-Jun-19 |
| William Porterfield | 67 | IRE | IND | Hamilton | 10-Mar-15 |
| William Porterfield | 107 | IRE | PAK | Adelaide | 15-Mar-15 |
| Viv Richards | 51 | WI | PAK | Lahore | 16-Oct-87 |
| Viv Richards | 51 | WI | ENG | Jaipur | 26-Oct-87 |
| Brendan Taylor | 121 | ZIM | IRE | Hobart | 07-Mar-15 |
| Brendan Taylor | 138 | ZIM | IND | Auckland | 14-Mar-15 |
| Steve Tikolo | 51 | KEN | AUS | Durban | 15-Mar-03 |
| Steve Tikolo | 56 | KEN | IND | Durban | 20-Mar-03 |
- Babar Azam became the twelfth captain to witness two or more fifties in a losing cause in the World Cup. He is also the second Pakistan captain to witness his two fifties in a losing cause in the World Cup, after Asif Iqbal.
- Abdul Shaffique’s 58 and Babar Azam’s 74 provide the 113th occasion of two or more batter’s fifties in an innings going vain in the World Cup. It also provided the eighth occasion of two or more Pakistan batters's fifties in vain in the World Cup.
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (65) and Ibrahim Zadran (87) scored fifties in this game to provide the 63rd occasion of both the openers scoring fifties in an innings in the World Cup. It also provided the first occasion of Afghanistan’s openers scoring fifties in the World Cup.
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran for Afghanistan, and Abdul Shafique for Pakistan scored fifties in this game to provide the 30th occasion of three openers scoring fifties in a match in the World Cup.
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah (77 not out) scored fifties for Afghanistan in this game to provide the ninth occasion of the first three batters scoring half-centuries in an innings in the World Cup. It also provided the first occasion of Afghanistan’s first three batters scoring fifties in an innings in the World Cup.
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran of Afghanistan posted 130 runs for the first wicket in this game to provide the 333rd occasion of batters posting a three-figure partnership in an innings in the World Cup. It also provided the fourth occasion of Afghanistan batters posting a three-figure partnership in an innings in the World Cup. This was the 85th occasion of openers posting a three-figure partnership in an innings in the World Cup. For Afghanistan, this was the second occasion openers posting a three-figure stand in the World Cup.
- Gurbaz and Zadran's stand provided the 21st occasion of batters posting a three-figure partnership against Pakistan in the World Cup. It also provided the first occasion of Afghanistan batters posting a three-figure stand against Pakistan in the World Cup.
- Gurbaz and Zadran's stand provided the eighth occasion of batters posting a three-figure partnership in an innings in the World Cup for the first wicket against Pakistan. It also provided the first occasion of Afghanistan batters posting a three-figure partnership in an innings in the World Cup for the first wicket against Pakistan.
- Afghanistan registered their third win in the World Cup, after victories over Scotland (by one wicket in Dunedin) in 2015 and England (by 69 runs in Delhi) earlier in this tournament.
- Pakistan lost their 35th game in the World Cup and it's their third loss in the ongoing edition of the World Cup. Pakistan have lost three or more games in an edition of the World Cup on seven occasions. The following table lists all such occasions:
| No | Team | Margin | VS | Ground | Start Date |
| 1 | Pakistan | 52 runs | NZ | Birmingham | 11-Jun-83 |
| 2 | Pakistan | 8 wkts | ENG | Lord's | 13-Jun-83 |
| 3 | Pakistan | 7 wkts | ENG | Manchester | 18-Jun-83 |
| 4 | Pakistan | 8 wkts | WI | The Oval | 22-Jun-83 |
| 1 | Pakistan | 10 wkts | WI | Melbourne | 23-Feb-92 |
| 2 | Pakistan | 43 runs | IND | Sydney | 04-Mar-92 |
| 3 | Pakistan | 20 runs | RSA | Brisbane | 08-Mar-92 |
| 1 | Pakistan | 62 runs | BAN | Northampton | 31-May-99 |
| 2 | Pakistan | 3 wkts | RSA | Nottingham | 05-Jun-99 |
| 3 | Pakistan | 47 runs | IND | Manchester | 08-Jun-99 |
| 4 | Pakistan | 8 wkts | AUS | Lord's | 20-Jun-99 |
| 1 | Pakistan | 82 runs | AUS | Johannesburg | 11-Feb-03 |
| 2 | Pakistan | 112 runs | ENG | Cape Town | 22-Feb-03 |
| 3 | Pakistan | 6 wkts | IND | Centurion | 01-Mar-03 |
| 1 | Pakistan | 76 runs | IND | Adelaide | 15-Feb-15 |
| 2 | Pakistan | 150 runs | WI | Christchurch | 21-Feb-15 |
| 3 | Pakistan | 6 wkts | AUS | Adelaide | 20-Mar-15 |
| 1 | Pakistan | 7 wkts | WI | Nottingham | 31-May-19 |
| 2 | Pakistan | 41 runs | AUS | Taunton | 12-Jun-19 |
| 3 | Pakistan | 89 runs | IND | Manchester | 16-Jun-19 |
| 1 | Pakistan | 7 wkts | IND | Ahmedabad | 14-Oct-23 |
| 2 | Pakistan | 62 runs | AUS | Bengaluru | 20-Oct-23 |
| 3 | Pakistan | 8 wkts | AFG | Chennai | 23-Oct-23 |
Stats courtesy: HR Gopala Krishna – Veteran cricket statistician
