Afghanistan Defeat UAE In Tri-Series Match With Strong Batting Show

Post by : Mumtaaz Qadiri

Afghanistan finally earned their first points in the T20I tri-series in the United Arab Emirates. They beat the host nation UAE by 38 runs in Sharjah. It was a complete performance from Afghanistan, with strong batting at the start and clever spin bowling later in the match. This victory gave Afghanistan confidence and showed the difference in experience between the two teams.

Openers Lead Afghanistan’s Batting

The Afghan batting began on a shaky note when Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed early by Rohit Khan. But after that, opener Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran took control of the game. Both played fearless cricket, hitting boundaries and rotating the strike to build a strong partnership.

Atal was especially impressive, scoring his first-ever half-century in international T20 cricket. He reached the milestone in the 11th over and entertained the Sharjah crowd with his attacking shots. Zadran also kept the scoreboard moving and together they frustrated the UAE bowlers.

Afghanistan Build A Big Total

Afghanistan’s innings gained further momentum in the middle overs. Atal was finally dismissed by Saghir Khan in the 13th over, but not before scoring 63 runs off just 40 balls. His knock included quick singles, boundaries, and powerful sixes.

Ibrahim Zadran continued to punish the bowlers, hitting sixes off Dhruv Parashar and Saghir. He scored his ninth T20I fifty and ensured Afghanistan had a strong base for a big finish. Azmatullah Omarzai joined Zadran in the 17th over and the two smashed two sixes off Junaid Siddique, pushing Afghanistan past 150 runs.

Though Zadran was dismissed in the 18th over after making 54 off 40 balls, the late hitters carried on. Karim Janat, in particular, played a short but explosive knock. In the 19th over, he hit two fours and two sixes, scoring 22 runs from Rohid Khan’s over. By the end of 20 overs, Afghanistan had posted a challenging total of 188/4.

UAE Begin The Chase With Hope

Chasing 189 runs was never going to be easy, but UAE started positively. They lost Muhammad Zohaib early in the second over, but captain Muhammad Waseem took charge. Waseem played aggressively, hitting big shots and putting pressure on the Afghan bowlers.

He shared a 61-run partnership with Ethan D’Souza, doing most of the scoring himself. Waseem smashed two sixes off Mujeeb Ur Rahman and punished left-arm spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf with another flurry of runs. By the end of the sixth over, UAE had 66 runs on the board and were very much in the chase.

Rashid Khan Turns The Game

Just when it looked like UAE might cause an upset, Afghanistan’s star spinner Rashid Khan entered the scene. He broke the partnership by dismissing D’Souza in the ninth over. Soon after, Waseem too lost his wicket after top-edging a ball from Ashraf.

Waseem’s knock of 67 runs off just 37 balls gave UAE hope, but his departure changed everything. His innings included four fours and six sixes, but it ended too soon for UAE’s liking. At the halfway stage, UAE were 91/3, but they needed to keep the momentum going.

Afghan Spinners Dominate The Middle Overs

With Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi bowling tightly, UAE’s middle order collapsed. Rashid dismissed Asif Khan and later Dhruv Parashar, finishing with excellent figures of 3/21. This spell also made him the leading wicket-taker in T20 internationals with 165 wickets, a new world record.

Sharafuddin Ashraf supported him well, picking three wickets himself. His control and variations made it very difficult for the UAE batsmen to hit boundaries. Nabi also chipped in by removing Harshit Kaushik in the 14th over. Suddenly, UAE were struggling at 110/6, with the asking rate climbing beyond their reach.

UAE’s Lower Order Struggles

By the last five overs, UAE still needed 78 runs to win. Their lower-order batsmen could not handle the pressure. They tried to swing for big shots but only managed to lose more wickets. Afghanistan’s bowlers remained disciplined, not giving away easy runs.

The only bright spot for UAE in the final overs was Rahul Chopra. He played a determined knock of 52 runs from 35 balls, staying unbeaten till the end. In the 20th over, he hit Omarzai for two fours and a six, but it was too late. UAE eventually finished at 150/8, falling 38 runs short of Afghanistan’s total.

Rashid Khan Creates History

While Afghanistan celebrated their victory, there was also an individual milestone to cheer. Rashid Khan’s three wickets took his career tally to 165 in T20 internationals. This made him the leading wicket-taker in T20I history, surpassing all other bowlers. His performance once again proved why he is considered one of the best spinners in the world.

Afghanistan 188/4 in 20 overs (Sediqullah Atal 63, Ibrahim Zadran 54; Rashid Khan 1/28)
beat
UAE 150/8 in 20 overs (Muhammad Waseem 67, Rahul Chopra 52; Rashid Khan 3/21, Sharafuddin Ashraf 3/24)
by 38 runs.

This victory was very important for Afghanistan in the tri-series. Their top-order batsmen, especially Atal and Zadran, set the platform with fine half-centuries. The finish from Omarzai and Janat gave them a high total. Later, Rashid Khan and Sharafuddin Ashraf used their spin magic to choke the UAE batsmen.

For UAE, Waseem and Rahul Chopra played bravely, but the middle-order collapse cost them the game. Afghanistan will take this confidence forward into their next matches, while UAE will need to regroup and find answers against quality spin.

Afghanistan cricket win, UAE tri-series, T20I cricket match