The Afghanistan cricket team missed a critical opportunity to advance to the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup 2023 due to their lack of knowledge about net run rate rules.
In a match against Sri Lanka held at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, the Afghan team found themselves in a challenging situation. The Lincoln Tigers, batting first, scored 291 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their allotted 50 overs.
Afghanistan needed just 3 runs from the last ball to secure their spot in the Super Four stage. However, they also had an alternative path to the Super 4 stage if they managed to level the score at 291 and complete it within the 38th over. A six in that over would have taken their total to 297, allowing them to qualify for the Super Four stage of the tournament. Unfortunately, it appears that the Afghan team was unaware of this possibility.
Had Afghanistan scored 295 runs in 37.5 overs, their net run rate would have equaled Sri Lanka’s. In such a scenario, a toss would have determined which team advanced to the Super 4 stage.
This isn’t the first time Afghanistan’s lack of awareness of these rules has proven costly, as they have been eliminated from tournaments in the past due to similar oversights.