Afghanistan swept past the Netherlands by seven wickets on Friday to boost their chances of reaching the World Cup semi-finals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Chasing 180 to win, Afghanistan reached their target with 111 balls to spare to clinch a fourth win at the tournament to add to victories over defending champions England, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
They now have eight points, the same as Australia and New Zealand, who currently occupy two of the semi-final qualifying places.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Undefeated India have already made sure of a last-four spot with South Africa almost certain to join them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Next up for Afghanistan on Tuesday is a potential grudge match against five-time champions Australia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In January, Australia controversially cancelled a series against Afghanistan in protest, they claimed, at the Taliban's treatment of women.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rahmat Shah hit his third successive half-century for Afghanistan while skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi made an undefeated 56, also his third fifty in a row.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rahmat had scored 77 against Pakistan and 62 in the win over Sri Lanka.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On Friday, he hit a 54-ball 52 with eight fours and shared a 74-run third wicket partnership with Hashmatullah after openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz (10) and Ibrahim Zadran (20) had departed cheaply.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rahmat fell, caught and bowled by Saqib Zulfiqar with 129 on the board and his team well set for victory.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Hashmatullah's 56 came off 64 balls and followed his 80 against India and 58 in the match with Sri Lanka.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier, Afghanistan restricted error-plagued Netherlands to 179 all out.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Netherlands, who still harboured a slim hope of squeezing into the semi-finals, won the toss and opted to bat but were undone by seeing four of their batsmen run-out.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
They recovered from seeing 39-year-old opener Wesley Barresi dismissed by spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the first over.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Max O'Dowd and Colin Ackermann put on 70 for the second wicket when a series of calamities put them on the back foot.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
O'Dowd was on 42 when he was beaten by a direct hit by Azmatullah Omarzai from fine leg.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With the score on 92-2, Ackermann (29) failed to make his ground when Ikram Alikhil whipped off the bails from a smart throw by Rashid Khan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On the next delivery, skipper Scott Edwards swept, lost sight of the ball and as he wandered aimlessly out of his crease Alikhil ran him out without scoring.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Mohammad Nabi and teenage wrist spinner Noor Ahmad then sent back Bas de Leede and Saqib Zulfiqar with Logan van Beek dismissed thanks to a smart stumping by wicketkeeper Alikhil.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sybrand Engelbrecht had made 58 with six fours when he became the fourth run-out of the innings, failing to beat Nabi's throw from midwicket.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
That left the Dutch on 152-8 before they went on to be bowled out after 46.3 overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Nabi was the pick of the bowlers with the veteran off-spinner taking 3-28.<\/p>\r\n\r\n