Afghanistan showcased a dominant performance to outplay the United Arab Emirates by 38 runs in the third match of the UAE T20I Tri-Series at Sharjah on Monday night. Strong spin bowling and consistent top-order batting paved the way for Afghanistan’s victory.
Chasing a target of 189, the UAE struggled to keep up and managed 150 for 8 in their 20 overs. Rahul Chopra stood out with a resilient 52 off 35 balls, including three fours and three sixes. Muhammad Waseem contributed a brisk 67 from 37 balls at the top of the order. However, the dismissals of Waseem and Asif Khan disrupted the chase.
Earlier, Afghanistan posted a competitive 188 for 4, thanks to half-centuries from Ibrahim Zadran (63 off 40) and Sediqullah Atal (54 off 40). Their partnership provided a solid foundation, while Azmatullah Omarzai and Karim Janat added late runs to boost the total.
Spin bowler Sharafuddin Ashraf emerged as the star with 3 wickets for 24 runs, earning the Player of the Match award. Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan also took three wickets and became the leading wicket-taker in T20 internationals with 165 scalps, surpassing New Zealand’s Tim Southee.
For UAE, Rahul Chopra and Junaid Siddique added 28 runs for the ninth wicket, setting a new national record in T20Is for the lower order. Despite their effort, it was not enough to turn the match.
Rashid Khan praised Afghanistan’s spinners for their disciplined bowling and lauded the batting unit for showing maturity under pressure. UAE captain Waseem admitted that his team struggled in the final overs with both bat and ball.
Afghanistan now shift focus to their next Tri-Series clash against Pakistan, scheduled for Tuesday. With this win, Afghanistan continues to strengthen their position in the UAE T20I Tri-Series, displaying balance in both batting and bowling.
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