Sharjah: Pakistan started the T20 Tri-Series on a winning note as they defeated Afghanistan by 39 runs in the opening match played at the historic Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Pakistan captain Agha Salman won the toss and chose to bat first. Despite losing early wickets, Salman played a brilliant unbeaten knock of 53 runs off 36 balls, guiding Pakistan to a strong total of 182 for 6 in 20 overs. All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz supported him well with a quick 21 off 11 balls.
Earlier, Pakistan lost Sahibzada Farhan (21), Saim Ayub (14), Fakhar Zaman (20), and Hassan Nawaz (9) cheaply, but a 53-run partnership between Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Nawaz steadied the innings.
In reply, Afghanistan fell short of the target and were bowled out for 143 runs in 19.5 overs. None of their batsmen could build a big innings. Pakistan’s bowlers kept up the pressure throughout, ensuring a comfortable victory.
For Afghanistan, Fareed Ahmed took two wickets, while Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi, and Azmatullah Omarzai claimed one wicket each.
A large crowd turned up to watch the match, with Afghanistan’s supporters outnumbering the Pakistani fans in the stands.
Pakistan played under the leadership of Agha Salman, with other squad members including Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Sufiyan Muqeem.
The tri-series features Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the host United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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