Dominant bowling display gives Pakistan win against Afghanistan in tri-series opener

• Salman Agha top-scores for Pakistan with unbeaten 53.
• Middle-order collapse derails Afghanistan run chase.
• Afridi, Muqeem and Nawaz chip in with two wickets each.

SHARJAH: Pakistan began their tri-series campaign on a winning note, overpowering Afghanistan with a composed all-round performance at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Chasing a daunting 183-run target, Afghanistan’s batting unit unfolded on a meagre 143 in 19.5 overs despite Rashid Khan’s gutsy knock.

The bowling all-rounder top-scored with a quickfire 39 from just 16 deliveries, laced with one four and five sixes, but his efforts were insufficient to steer Afghanistan to glory.

Afghanistan were in a comfortable position at the conclusion of the seventh over as they were 60/1, with opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz dominating Pakistan’s bowling attack.

Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz gave Pakistan a much-needed breakthrough in the following over by bowling Gurbaz round his leg. He made a 27-ball 38 with the help of three fours and a six.

Following his dismissal, Darwish Rasooli (21) and Sediqullah Atal (23) attempted to retain the momentum but could put together 25 runs during their third-wicket partnership, which culminated with the latter’s dismissal off Haris Rauf in the 12th over.

His dismissal sparked a match-defining middle-order collapse, which saw Afghanistan lose four more wickets for as many runs and consequently slipped to 97/7 in 14.1 overs before Rashid’s grit.

After the Afghanistan captain’s dismissal, Pakistan’s bowling unit swiftly swept away the opposition’s batting tail to round up a dominant victory in their campaign opener.

Haris Rauf led the bowling charge for Pakistan, taking four wickets for 31 runs in 3.5 overs, while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem and Mohammad Nawaz chipped in with two each.

Earlier, the Green Shirts set a 183-run target for Afghanistan after captain Salman Ali Agha’s resilient unbeaten 53 anchored the innings.

Pakistan got off to a brief flying start to their innings as Sahibzada Farhan perished in the third over with 26 runs on the board. The right-handed opener smashed one four and two sixes on his way to a 10-ball 21.

Experienced top-order batter Fakhar Zaman then joined Saim Ayub in the middle, and they put together an anchoring 29-run partnership for the second, which culminated with the latter’s dismissal off Rashid Khan in the seventh over.

Ayub scored a cautious 14 off 16 deliveries with the help of two boundaries.

Pakistan lost two more wickets – Fakhar Zaman (20) and Hasan Nawaz (nine) – in quick succession and consequently slipped to 83/4 in 11.1 overs.

Following the slump, Agha and all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz launched a counterattack on momentum-filled Afghanistan bowlers and added 53 runs for the fifth wicket in just 28 deliveries.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman eventually broke the stand in the 16th over by getting rid of Nawaz, who contributed with an 11-ball 21, featuring one four and two sixes.

Agha was then joined by wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Haris (15) for a 31-run partnership before falling victim to Fareed Ahmad on the second delivery of the final over.

Salman Ali Agha remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with an unbeaten 53 off 36 deliveries, studded with three fours and as many sixes.

Fareed took two wickets for Afghanistan but was expensive as he conceded 47 runs in his four overs, while Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid and Mujeeb made one scalp apiece.

The tri-series is being played from August 29 to September 7 and is regarded as vital preparation for the upcoming ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup, set to take place in the UAE from September 9 to 28.

Originally, Pakistan was scheduled to host Afghanistan in a bilateral series in August.

However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) proposed converting it into a tri-nation event and shifting it to the UAE to provide players with an opportunity to adapt to local conditions ahead of the Asia Cup.

Historically, Pakistan and Afghanistan have faced off seven times in T20 Internationals. The men in green has won four matches, while Afghanistan has claimed victory in three.

'Colour-coded tickets separate Pakistan, Afghan supporters'

Sharjah Cricket Stadium is alive with excitement ahead of the Pakistan-Afghanistan T20 match, as fans gather in large numbers and ticket sales continue.

Afghan supporters appear in greater numbers than Pakistani fans, while Indian cricket enthusiasts have also turned up to back Afghanistan.

Organisers have set up separate stands, pavilions, and entry routes for both sets of fans. Even the tickets are colour-coded — green for Pakistan supporters and blue for Afghan fans.

Afghan supporters are optimistic about their team’s chances against Pakistan. Despite the intense Sharjah heat, the passion for cricket remains high among the crowds.

Pakistan XI: 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 XI: 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