SHARJAH, UAE (Kashmir English): Afghanistan recorded their first win in the T20I tri-series by defeating the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 38 runs at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday.
Batting first, Afghanistan posted a mammoth 188 score while the hosts could accumulate 150/8 only despite half-centuries from skipper Muhammad Waseem and wicketkeeper batter Rahul Chopra.
The home side performed impressively until eighth over as they were 76/1, with skipper Waseem and Ethan D’Souza on the pitch.
It was on the first delivery of the ninth over when Rashid Khan trapped D’Souza lbw to unsettle UAE’s pursuit.
Waseem was next to walk to the pavilion when he fell prey to Sharafuddin Ashraf in the next over. He remained top-scorer for the home side with a 37-ball 67, featuring 10 boundaries, including six sixes.
Following his dismissal, UAE began to lose wickets at an alarming rate, and they were eventually restricted to 150/8.
Wicketkeeper batter Rahul Chopra remained unbeaten with 52 off 35 deliveries with the help of three fours and as many sixes.
For Afghanistan, Ashraf and Rashid claimed three wickets each, while Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mohammad Nabi made one scalp apiece.
Easy victory for Afghanistan
Rashid Khan-led side racked up 188/4 in their allotted 20 overs, courtesy of an anchoring second-wicket partnership between Atal and Zadran.
For UAE, Saghir and Rohid took two wickets each, while the rest remained wicketless, including Junaid, who needed just one to complete 100 scalps in T20Is. The victory marked Afghanistan’s first in the T20I tri-series.
