Skipper Salman Agha hit an unbeaten half century and quick bowler Haris Rauf grabbed 4 wickets as Pakistan upstaged Afghanistan by 39 runs within the tri-series opener in Sharjah on Friday.
Agha hit an unbeaten 36-ball 53 with three sixes and as many boundaries which lifted Pakistan to 182 for in its 20 overs.
Pacers Rauf took 4 for 31 and Shaheen Afridi two for 21 to dismiss Afghanistan for 143 in 19.5 overs earlier than a loud capability 16,000 crowd on the Sharjah stadium.
Afghanistan matched Pakistan with opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 27-ball 38 with a six and three boundaries, including 51 for the second wicket with Sediqullah Atal, who made 23.
It was Rauf who modified the sport with a two-wicket twelfth over sending Atal and Karim Janat again with out conceding a run.
Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan smashed 5 sixes and a 4 in his whirlwind 16-ball 39 however fell to Rauf, ending his crew’s combat.
Earlier, Agha anchored the innings admirably effectively after opener Sahibzada Farhan smashed two sixes and a boundary in his 10-ball 21.
Agha added 53 for the fifth wicket with Nawaz whose 11-ball 21 had two sixes and a boundary. The duo helped Pakistan get 51 runs within the final 5 overs.
Pakistan performs host United Arab Emirates on Saturday. All three groups face different one another twice with the highest two enjoying the September 7 remaining.
Printed on Aug 30, 2025