SHARJAH: Skipper Salman Ali Agha’s solid half-century helped Pakistan post a competitive 182 against Afghanistan in the T20I tri-series opener at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan got off to an aggressive start on a batting-friendly surface, despite some early dew. Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub provided early momentum. Farhan smashed 21 off just 10 balls with two sixes and a four, before falling to Azmatullah Omarzai. Ayub managed 14 from 16 before he was bowled by Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan.
Fakhar Zaman contributed a quick 20 off 17 before departing with Pakistan’s score at 63. Middle-order batters chipped in but failed to convert starts into big scores. Hassan Nawaz (9), Mohammad Nawaz (21), and Mohammad Haris (15) kept the scoreboard moving.
Captain Salman Ali Agha anchored the innings with a composed 53 off 36 balls, while Faheem Ashraf’s late cameo—14 off just 5 deliveries—gave Pakistan the boost they needed in the death overs.
For Afghanistan, Fareed Ahmad was the most successful bowler, picking up 2 wickets for 47 runs, while Rashid Khan and Omarzai claimed one each.
With a target of 183 runs, Afghanistan now face a challenging chase under the Sharjah lights.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem.
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (capt), Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmed.
