Who said what - Top 5 expert reactions on Afghanistan's calculation blunder in Asia Cup 2023 ft. Zaheer Khan

Afghanistan's Asia Cup 2023 campaign ended in a heartbreak as the side suffered a two-run defeat to defending champions Sri Lanka at the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore on Tuesday. However, things weren't as straightforward as the final scores suggest, with the Afghans committing a colossal blunder in their qualification equation.

With Afghanistan enduring a poor net run rate, they were required to chase the target of 292 in 37.1 overs to overtake Sri Lanka in the points table and advance to the Super Fours stage.

While many believed the result was a foregone conclusion, the Afghans displayed tremendous belief by putting on a spirited batting display in going after the qualification target. However, their fight ended in 'so near yet so far' fashion, with a significant calculation error being the primary reason.

Rashid Khan smashed three boundaries in the 37th over, leaving Mujeeb Ur Rahman with three runs to score off the first ball of the 38th over.

However, Mujeeb was caught at the long-on boundary off the delivery, leading everyone, including the Afghanistan side, to believe their chances were done and dusted. Yet, it was revealed that they could have still qualified on net run rate if they scored 294 in 37.3 overs or 295 in 37.4 overs until 297 in 38.1 overs.

Unfortunately, the on-field batters were unaware of the possibilities, as the last man, Fazalhaq Farooqi, tried to block the entire over to have Rashid finish the match in the next over to ensure at least the consolation win. He failed to do even that and was dismissed LBW, resulting in the Afghans going down by two runs.

The unawareness concerning the calculation beyond 37.1 overs left fans and experts bepuzzled, with questions thrown at the coaching staff and team analysts.

Here are the top 5 expert reactions on Afghanistan's calculation blunder in their final Asia Cup 2023 game.

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#1 Zaheer Khan

Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan was surprised by Afganistan's confusion and lack of awareness in misreading the equation beyond 37.1 overs against Sri Lanka. The champion bowler also recalled the 2003 ODI World Cup when South Africa made a similar misinterpretation of the Duckworth-Lewis targets to be eliminated from the tournament.

Speaking to Cricbuzz post-game, Zaheer felt the batter should have gone for the maximum to pip Sri Lanka on net run rate.

"There is definitely some confusion for sure. Because when you are calculating net run rate you could have taken a chance of hitting a maximum at that stage and you would have still been ahead of Sri Lanka," Zaheer said.

"If they had finished the game in 37.1 scoring 292 it was an easy calculation but when it reached such a situation where every ball matters then if you had reached 291 and hit a maximum then those runs are also calculated in your score which would have taken you net run rate a touch higher than Sri Lanka," he added.

The 2011 World Cup-winning pacer further stated that it was the fault of the Afghanistan think tank and not the umpires or match referees.

"This is the team management's responsibility. Afghanistan think tank needs to figure this out for themselves. This is not a rain-affected game where referees come in and the umpires hand over the Duckworth-Lewis sheet. Match referees and umpires have got nothing to do with this," Zaheer concluded.

The dramatic ending meant Sri Lanka topped Group B and qualified for the Super Fours with Bangladesh. These two teams will meet each other and the two qualified teams from Group A - India and Pakistan in an attempt to advance to the final of the Asia Cup.

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#2 Piyush Chawla

Mumbai Indians (MI) spinner Piyush Chawla believes it was a terrible error that cost Afghanistan a place in the Super Fours and added that the equation sheet did not reach all the players involved.

He also stated that in such situations, a reserve player usually runs in every ball to convey the necessary message from the dressing room.

Speaking to Star Sports, Chawla was stunned about the batters in the middle being clueless about the various scenarios.

"When Fazalhaq Farooqi came, he didn't even try to take a single. He came and just blocked. Probably no one informed him that he had to go and take a single. If Rashid Khan had hit a four off the next ball, the equation would have been in your favor but we didn't get to see that. So somewhere or the other, it was a massive mistake," Chawla said.

"You could see the emotions, the entire Afghanistan team will be disappointed. I feel the sheet didn't reach them at all because in such a situation the reserve player runs in after every ball," he added.

The painstaking defeat left Afghanistan winless in their Asia Cup campaign heading into the ODI World Cup, starting October 5.

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#3 Wasim Jaffer

Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer felt that Afghanistan being unaware of all the possible information hurt them at the most inopportune time.

He also felt that Rashid Khan missing out on the singles in the 37th over proved costly. The superstar bowler played out three dot balls in the over despite striking three boundaries.

Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Jaffer attributed the goof-up by Afghanistan to their lack of having all the required information handy.

"Sometimes when you don't know the rules and all the information, when you need it the most, it hurts you this way. Rashid Khan missing a couple of singles would have hurt as well when it comes down to 1 or 2 runs. Then Farooqi missing a straight one and a full toss as well. They could have won still in 38.1 overs but it looked like nobody knew and thought the time had gone," Jaffer said.

Rashid scored a valiant 27 off 16 deliveries but had to watch the nightmare of the 38th over unfold from the non-striker end.

He was down on his haunches at Mujeeb's dismissal off the first ball of the 38th over, conceding defeat without knowledge of the possibilities even after.

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#4 Farveez Maharoof

Former Sri Lankan pacer Farzeez Maharoof blamed the team analysts for Afghanistan's blunder at the end of the game against Sri Lanka. He went on to say that the defeat was the kind that could demoralize Afghanistan for a while.

Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Maharoof placed a majority of the blame on the computer analyst who did not have the numbers conveyed to the dugout.

"That's where the big bucks being spent on all the analysts, the backroom staff, thats the computer analyst's job to send out the message from the dressing room to the dugout and then from the dugout to the pitch it's not that far. Don't think Afghanistan knew about it as Rashid Khan put his head down when Mujeeb got out which shows none of those messages were sent out," Maharoof said.

"Reckon they did not get the calculation right and there was a huge lapse in miscommunication. These are the little percentages that can hurt Afghanistan for a very long time," he added.

A dispirited Afghanistan side will now have to wait for the next Asia Cup to try and make their first-ever final. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka breathed a sigh of relief as their title defense remained alive.

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#5 Jonathan Trott

Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott has admitted being unaware of the permutations that resulted in them missing out on the Super Fours spot at the Asia Cup 2023.

At the post-match press conference, the former England batter mentioned that the team was only informed about reaching the target in 37.1 overs.

We were never communicated those calculations," said Trott. "All we were communicated was we needed to win in 37.1 overs. We weren't told what the overs in which we could get 295 or 297. [That we could win in] 38.1 overs was never communicated to us.

However, Trott felt that the calculation gaffe wasn't the only reason for their elimination from the Asia Cup. He added that against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the bowlers perhaps conceded way too many runs.

Afghanistan will have to lick its wounds until the start of the World Cup, where they face Bangladesh at Dharamsala on October 7.