SHARJAH – Pakistan thrashed Afghanistan with a big margin of 75 runs in the final to lift the T20I Tri-Series trophy at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Chasing a 142-run target for victory, Afghanistan kept losing wickets at regular intervals and were all out at 66 in 15.5 overs.
Rashid Khan was the highest scorer for Afghanistan with 17 runs. Sediqullah Atal contributed 13 runs. No other batter could enter the double figures.
Mohammad Nawaz achieved the career-best figures of 5/19, including a hat-trick. Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem got two wickets each, and Shaheen Shah Afridi one. Mohammad Nawaz was named player of the match. He also grabbed the player of the series trophy for his all-around performance.
After Salman Ali Agha opted to bat first, Afghanistan’s spinner restricted Pakistan to 141/8 in the allocated 20 overs.
Fakhar Zaman was the top scorer for Pakistan with 27 runs. Mohammad Nawaz scored 25 off 21 balls, Salman Ali Agha 24 off 27 balls, Saim Ayub 17 off 19 balls, and Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Nawaz 15 runs each.
Rashid Khan got three wickets, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Noor Ahmad two each and AM Ghazanfar one wicket.
Pakistan Playing XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed
Afghanistan Playing XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (c), Mohammad Nabi, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
