Pakistan kicked off their T20I tri-series campaign with a 39-run win over Afghanistan in Sharjah. Skipper Salman Agha was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 53 runs off 36 balls.
After winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bat first. However, their top-order could not provide a solid start, as they were reduced to 83/4 in 11.1 overs. Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, and Fakhar Zaman all got starts but failed to convert them into big scores.
The innings was steadied by a 53-run fifth-wicket stand between captain Agha and Mohammad Nawaz (21 off 11). Later, useful contributions from Mohammad Haris (15 off 13) and Faheem Ashraf (14 off 5) helped Pakistan post 182/7 in 20 overs. Agha remained unbeaten on 53 at a strike rate of 147.22.
For Afghanistan, Fareed Ahmad claimed two wickets, while Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Azmatullah Omarzai took one each.
In reply, Afghanistan lost Ibrahim Zadran for just nine runs, but Rahmanullah Gurbaz (38) and Sediqullah Atal added 51 runs for the second wicket. Atal and Darwish Rasooli then looked set for a strong partnership, taking the score to 93/2 in 11.2 overs.
However, Pakistan staged a comeback as Afghanistan suffered a dramatic collapse, losing five wickets for just four runs and slipping to 97/7. Although skipper Rashid Khan fought back with a blistering 39 off 16 balls (strike rate 243.75), it wasn’t enough. Afghanistan were bowled out for 143 in 19.5 overs.
With the ball, Haris Rauf starred with a four-wicket haul, while Sufiyan Muqeem, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Mohammad Nawaz picked up two wickets each.
Pakistan will next face UAE on August 30, while Afghanistan’s next match will also be against UAE, on September 1.
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