SHARJAH: Mohammad Nawaz produced a career-best performance with the ball, including a maiden T20I hat-trick, as Pakistan crushed Afghanistan by 75 runs to clinch the tri-nation series title in Sharjah on Sunday.
Defending a modest total of 141, Pakistan bowled Afghanistan out for just 66 in 15.5 overs. Nawaz was the star of the show, returning match-winning figures of 5-19 in four overs, while Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem shared four wickets between them. Shaheen Afridi also chipped in with a wicket.
Afghanistan’s chase unravelled early. Afridi removed Rahmanullah Gurbaz for five in the opening over, before Abrar dismissed Sediqullah Atal (13) to leave the side at 28-2.
Nawaz then ripped through the middle order, striking twice in successive deliveries in the sixth over to dismiss Darwish Rasooli and Azmatullah Omarzai for ducks.
The left-arm spinner completed his hat-trick at the start of the following over by removing Ibrahim Zadran for nine, before sending back Karim Janat in the same spell.
He later dismissed Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan for 17, sealing a five-wicket haul and reducing the opposition to 55-8. The remaining wickets fell quickly, with Muqeem and Ghazanfar cleaning up the tail.
Earlier, Pakistan’s batting line-up struggled against disciplined Afghan bowling after opting to bat first.
The Men in Green lost Sahibzada Farhan for a duck in the opening over. Fakhar Zaman (27) and Saim Ayub (17) steadied the innings with a 49-run stand, but both were dismissed in quick succession.
Rashid Khan was the pick of Afghanistan’s bowlers with three wickets, while Noor Ahmad and Fazalhaq Farooqi bagged two apiece. Salman Ali Agha (24) and Nawaz (25) added a crucial 40-run partnership in the middle overs, pushing Pakistan to 141-8 in their 20 overs.
Despite the modest total, Nawaz’s brilliance ensured it was more than enough. His hat-trick was only the second by a Pakistani in T20 internationals, underlining his pivotal role in Pakistan’s comprehensive victory.
Both Pakistan and Afghanistan had finished the group stage with six points each, while hosts UAE were eliminated without a win. The final, however, showcased Pakistan’s dominance with both bat and ball, with Nawaz at the heart of the triumph.
