Kabul: September 3, 2025: Ibrahim Zadran (65) and Sediqullah Atal (64) shared 113 runs between them before the skipper Rashid Khan (2/30), Noor Ahmad (2/20), Mohammad Nabi (2/20), and Fazal Haq Farooqi (2/21) returned with excellent bowling numbers to help Afghanistan beat Pakistan by 18 runs and register their second victory in the UAE Tri-Nation Series.
Earlier in the evening, the
skipper Rashid Khan won the toss and decided that Afghanistan would bat first
in the game. Rahmanullah Gurbaz fell early for 7 runs, but Sediqullah Atal (64)
and Ibrahim Zadran (65) both scored their successive half-centuries to push
Afghanistan post 169/5 runs on the board in the first inning.
Ibrahim Zadran, speaking on air
during the inning break, accepted that they are 10-15 runs short on a
batting-friendly surface, but they needed to put up a good bowling and fielding
effort, and that’s exactly what they displayed in the second inning.
Fazal Haq Farooqi provided
Afghanistan with a perfect start as he removed both the openers in his opening
spell. Then the spinners took the proceedings from there as Mohammad Nabi, Noor
Ahmad, and the skipper Rashid Khan shared 6 wickets for 70 runs in 12 overs
between them to reduce Pakistan to 151/9 at the end of the second inning and
took the game home by 18 runs.
In the process, Mohammad Nabi
completed his 100 wickets in T20Is and became only the second Afghan bowler
after Rashid Khan to get into the triple-digit wickets in the format.
Ibrahim Zadran, who scored 65
runs off 45 deliveries that included 8 fours and a solitary six, was awarded
the Player of the Match.
With this victory, AfghanAtalan
have now two victories out of three games in the UAE Tri-Nation Series and will
face the UAE in their last group stage game on Friday.