ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has won the toss and elected to bat first against Pakistan on Tuesday in Match 4 of the ongoing Tri-Nation Series at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Pakistan, unbeaten in the tournament, are just one win away from sealing their spot in the final, while Afghanistan, riding momentum after a convincing win over the UAE, are desperate to tighten their grip on the competition.
Pakistan’s near perfection
Pakistan enters the contest with the kind of calm confidence that only experience can breed. Two matches, two wins, and two dominating totals—182 and 207—have stamped their authority on this tournament.
The pitch at Sharjah has shown its usual two-faced nature, yet Pakistan’s top order has read it like an open book.
Captain Salman Ali Agha led by example with a silken fifty in the opener, while Saim Ayub and Hasan Nawaz showcased their flair in the second match.
Add to that, consistent middle-order partnerships and the ability to keep the scoreboard ticking, and this batting unit has been clinical, if not explosive.
However, Pakistan’s Achilles’ heel has been the Powerplay bowling. Conceding over 50 runs during fielding restrictions in both matches is a red flag.
Yet, even without strike weapons, Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf in the last outing, their younger pace brigade showed commendable grit.
Both senior quicks are expected to return tonight, possibly adding the final polish to Pakistan’s already-shining campaign.
Afghanistan’s search for consistency
Afghanistan, meanwhile, come in with fresh fire after toppling the UAE in style, but they’ll know the real test begins now.
The batting, while showing resilience, still has questions to answer, especially the form of star opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who’s yet to find his groove.
Their opening stands have been jittery, failing to breach the 20-run mark so far.
The bright spark? Sediqullah Atal has impressed with poise at the top, and Ibrahim Zadran appears to be warming up at the right time.
With the ball, it’s the Afghan spinners who continue to mesmerise. Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Sharafuddin Ashraf have kept things tight in the middle overs, weaving webs in conditions that suit them.
But to beat Pakistan, their pace attack must rise to the occasion, something they failed to do in the series opener, where boundaries flowed freely early on.
The equation
Three games down, and all three have been won by the team batting first. The magic number? A target in the 160-190 range, which seems to be the golden bracket in these conditions.
With Pakistan perched comfortably at the top, a win tonight would make them the first finalist. But if Afghanistan can spring a surprise, the plot thickens, bringing all three teams back into mathematical contention.
Pakistan Playing XI
Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem.
Afghanistan Playing XI
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (c), Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmed.
Head-to-Head
Out of 8 T20Is, Pakistan leads 5-3. But it was Afghanistan who triumphed 2-1 in their only bilateral series in 2023—a memory still fresh, and a reminder that they can crack the Pakistan code.
