SHARJAH: Afghanistan held their nerve in a last-over thriller to defeat UAE by 4 runs in a gripping T20I Tri-Series encounter at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday night.
Chasing a target of 171, the UAE batters fought bravely, but Afghanistan’s bowlers delivered under pressure to seal a thrilling win. Afghanistan’s skipper Ibrahim Zadran was declared the player of the match for his 48 off 35 balls.
UAE’s chase falls just short
UAE captain Muhammad Waseem led the charge with a blistering 44 off 29 balls, smashing 3 sixes and 2 fours to keep his side in the hunt. He was well-supported by Asif Khan, who added late drama with a fiery 40 off 28 deliveries, keeping UAE within touching distance until the final ball.
But Afghanistan’s bowlers held their composure when it mattered most. Fareed Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Noor Ahmad all chipped in with crucial wickets, while Abdollah Ahmadzai and Sharafuddin Ashraf kept the runs in check at the death.
Afghanistan’s strong total just enough
Earlier, Afghanistan posted a competitive 170/4 on the back of a strong 98-run opening partnership between captain Ibrahim Zadran (48 off 35) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (40 off 38). A late surge from Karim Janat (28 off 14) and Gulbadin Naib (20 off 14)* gave Afghanistan a fighting total on a slow Sharjah surface.
Final over drama
With 12 needed off the final over, Asif Khan smashed a boundary to raise UAE’s hopes, but fell on the final ball of the innings, caught by Gurbaz off Fareed Ahmad, sealing a heart-pounding win for Afghanistan.
Afghanistan skipper Ibrahim Zadran praised his bowlers for staying calm: “We knew it would go down to the wire, but the boys showed great temperament. Every run mattered today.”
UAE captain Muhammad Waseem was proud of his team’s fight: “We were in it till the last ball. Credit to Afghanistan for holding their nerve. We’ll come back stronger.”
Afghanistan squad
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Seddiqullah Atal, Darwish Rasuli, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Farid Ahmad Malik, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad, AM Gajanfar, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Mohammad Ishaq, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Gulbadin Naib.
United Arab Emirates squad
Muhammad Zohaib, Muhammad Waseem (capt), Ethan D’Souza, Alishan Sharafu, Rahul Chopra (wk), Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Sagheer Khan, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Rohid Khan, Harshit Kaushik, Aryansh Sharma, Muhammad Farooq.
