• Asif flashes bat at Fareed in fiery clash

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    Pakistan’s Asif Ali lost his cool with Afghanistan bowler Fareed Ahmad after his dismissal in a tense finale to Wednesday’s Asia Cup thriller.

    Naseem Shah hit two sixes at the start of the final over as Pakistan won by one wicket with four balls to spare in their tricky chase of 130, setting up a final with Sri Lanka.

    But tempers flared when fast bowler Fareed struck twice in the 19th over, including the key wicket of big-hitting Asif.

    The batsman, who hit two sixes in a brisk 16 off eight balls, was caught at short fine leg in an attempt to hook a bouncer and became embroiled in a row with Fareed as he made his way off the field.

    An incensed Asif gestured in the direction of Fareed with his bat before players intervened along with the umpire to defuse the tension.

    Pakistan vice-captain Shadab Khan, who top-scored with 36, played down the incident, saying it happened “in the heat of the moment” and was best left on the field.

    Afghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi was fielding in the deep and said he didn’t know what happened in the middle.

    Pakistan’s win knocked out Afghanistan as well as rivals India in the process. Afghanistan and India meet in a dead rubber in Dubai on Thursday.

    © Agence France-Presse

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    Simon Borchardt