Pakistan’s Bowlers Shine to Restrict Afghanistan to 169
Pakistan on Track for Victory After Dominant Bowling Performance
In a key T20 International tri-series match in Sharjah, Pakistan needs to chase 170 runs to beat Afghanistan, thanks to an exceptional bowling display led by all-rounder Faheem Ashraf. Faheem bowled a career-best spell of 4 wickets for just 27 runs 🏏. The game began with a moment of silence for flood victims in Pakistan and earthquake victims in Afghanistan, setting a somber but respectful tone.
Afghanistan’s captain, Rashid Khan, had planned to score over 170 after winning the toss and choosing to bat. However, Pakistan’s bowlers, especially Faheem, kept a tight grip on the scoring rate.
Key Moments of the Afghan Innings
The Afghan innings had a shaky start when opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed early by part-time spinner Saim Ayub in the second over. Ayub proved to be surprisingly effective, giving up only 18 runs in his four-over spell. Despite this, a strong 113-run partnership between Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal stabilized the innings. Both batters scored half-centuries, with Atal bringing up his second 50 of the tournament.
The crucial breakthrough came in the 16th over when Faheem Ashraf dismissed Atal, who was trying to hit a six over long-on. Faheem continued his momentum, taking two more wickets in his next over, including the key wicket of Zadran and the dangerous Azmatullah Omarzai. The late strikes by Faheem ensured Afghanistan’s scoring slowed down, preventing them from reaching the 170-run target.
Pakistan had also made a few changes to their bowling lineup for the match, bringing in Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, who had been rested in the previous game against the UAE. This series is a crucial warm-up for Pakistan ahead of the Asia Cup, which starts on September 9. They’ve been in impressive form, winning their first two matches against Afghanistan and the UAE.
