PAK vs AFG (1st Match) – Highlights
The Sharjah Cricket Stadium hosted the opening clash of the UAE T20I Tri-Series on August 29, 2025, where PAK asserted their dominance with both bat and ball to secure a 39-run win over AFG. The match offered plenty of entertainment, from power-hitting displays to crucial breakthroughs, but in the end, Pakistan’s depth and balance proved too strong for the Afghan side.
The coin fell Pakistan’s way, and their leader elected to set a target with the bat. Pakistan’s innings roared to life as Farhan smashed 21 from just 10 deliveries, clearing the ropes twice. When he was dismissed, that initiated a mini collapse at the other end, and despite the near constant loss of wickets, captain Salman Agha held it all together with what can only be defined as a captain’s performance. He batted the whole innings and showed pedigree action at one end whilst keeping the scores ticking. He ended up on what would be a useful score of 53 not out off 36 balls, including a trio of fours and sixes, which were the bread and butter of Pakistan’s innings.
The middle order provided some useful contributions throughout the innings. The duo of Zaman and Nawaz provided a late spark, striking 20 (13) and 21 (11) respectively to push Pakistan’s momentum forward. Faheem Ashraf also added a late flourish with his 14 runs off 5 balls. Pakistan would end up with 182 for 7 after 20 overs, a reasonable chase for Afghanistan.
While the Afghan bowlers experienced a tumultuous affair of high and lows, they generally could not get on top of the run-scoring. Mujeeb Ur Rahman only had 1 for 22 from four overs. Both Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi struck once, ensuring the batsmen remained under constant threat. Though he leaked 47 runs, Fareed Ahmad managed to strike twice with the ball. Their failure to apply enough pressure at the end of the innings allowed Pakistan to finish with some momentum.
In pursuit of a target of 183 runs, AFG set off aggressively, with wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz playing a superb innings of 38 runs off 27 balls that made scoring look simple as he found the gap with ease, striking three fours and a six. Sediqullah Atal and Darwish Rasooli contributed 23 and 21, respectively, and kept Afghanistan in the chase as they pushed Afghanistan into the middle overs. Once Gurbaz lost his wicket, the remainder of the Taliban innings fell away very quickly.
Rashid Khan offered late resistance with an explosive 39 off just 16 balls, smashing five sixes to keep a glimmer of hope alive. His counterattack briefly unsettled the Pakistani bowlers, but his dismissal at the end of the 18th over effectively ended Afghanistan’s chances. The side was eventually bowled out for 143 in 19.5 overs, falling well short of the target.
PAK bowlers executed their plans brilliantly. Haris Rauf led the attack with an impressive spell, taking 4 for 31, striking at crucial moments to derail Afghanistan’s chase. Shaheen Shah Afridi’s fiery opening burst earned him two wickets for just 21 runs, while left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz continued his all-round performance with 2 for 23. Young spinner Sufiyan Muqeem also chipped in with two important wickets.
Pakistan vs Afghanistan Scoreboard
Pakistan – 182/7 (20)
Afghanistan – 143/10 (19.5)
Result – Pakistan won by 39 runs
Player of the Match – Salman Agha
Salman Agha
PAK vs AFG Playing XIs
Pakistan | Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem. |
Afghanistan | Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (c), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi. |
