SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates: Afghanistan posted a competitive 189-run target for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the third match of the T20I tri-series at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday, powered by half-centuries from Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran.
Put in to bat first, the Rashid Khan-led side closed their innings at 188 for four in 20 overs, thanks to an anchoring 84-run stand for the second wicket between Atal and Zadran.
Afghanistan made a shaky start when opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz departed for seven in the fourth over, dismissed by Muhammad Rohid with just 16 runs on the board. However, Atal and Zadran steadied the innings with fluent stroke play.
Atal struck 54 off 40 balls, hitting four boundaries and three sixes, before falling to Saghir Khan in the 13th over.
Zadran went on to score a brisk 63 off 40 deliveries, featuring three fours and four sixes, before being dismissed in the 18th over.
Zadran also shared a valuable 40-run partnership with all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai, who added 23 not out.
In the closing stages, Omarzai and Karim Janat (14 not out) combined for an unbeaten 28-run stand to push Afghanistan close to the 190-mark despite Junaid Siddique conceding just four runs in the final over.
For the UAE, Saghir Khan and Muhammad Rohid took two wickets apiece. Junaid, meanwhile, remained wicketless and missed the chance to claim his 100th T20I wicket.
UAE Playing XI
Muhammad Waseem (capt), Muhammad Zohaib, Asif Khan, Rahul Chopra (wk), Ethan D’Souza, Harshit Kaushik, Dhruv Parashar, Saghir Khan, Haider Ali, Muhammad Rohid, Junaid Siddique
Afghanistan Playing XI
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (capt), Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi
