Key Points
- Pakistan posted 182/7 with strong contributions from top and middle order
- With this win, Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the tri-series
- Will face UAE in the next match on Saturday (August 30)
SHARJAH: Pakistan began their T20I tri-series campaign in style with a convincing 39-run victory over Afghanistan at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday, powered by Haris Rauf’s fiery spell of 4 for 31 and skipper Salman Ali Agha’s composed half-century.
In what turned out to be the highest-scoring T20I match between the two sides, with 325 runs collectively, Pakistan posted a competitive 182/7 after electing to bat first, and then bowled out Afghanistan for 143 to seal the win.
Pakistan’s innings was set up by aggressive contributions from the top order. Sahibzada Farhan smashed 21 off 10 balls, while Fakhar Zaman chipped in with 20 off 17. Saim Ayub made 14 before falling to Rashid Khan. The middle order kept the momentum going, with Mohammad Nawaz (21) and Mohammad Haris (15) providing handy runs.
The innings was anchored by skipper Salman Ali Agha, who led from the front with a well-paced 53 off 36 balls, and Faheem Ashraf’s late cameo of 14 off just 5 deliveries helped Pakistan finish strong.
In reply, Afghanistan made a promising start, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz scoring a brisk 38 off 27, but wickets began to tumble once Ibrahim Zadran fell to Shaheen Shah Afridi on 9.
Sediqullah Atal (23) and Darwish Rasooli (21) showed intent, but a middle-order collapse followed. Rashid Khan played a blistering knock of 39 off 16 balls, hammering five sixes, but lacked support at the other end. Afghanistan’s lower order crumbled under pressure, with four batters—Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, and Fareed Ahmad—failing to reach double digits.
Haris Rauf was the standout bowler, bagging 4 wickets, while Sufiyan Muqeem picked up 2, and Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Nawaz grabbed one each.
With this emphatic win, Pakistan go 1-0 up in the tri-nation tournament. They will face UAE in the second match of the series on Saturday (August 30) at the same venue.
