The UAE T20I Tri-Series 2025 witnessed a gripping contest in Sharjah as Afghanistan overcame Pakistan by 18 runs to secure their second win of the series. In front of a buzzing crowd at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, it was a star batter’s match-winning knock that laid the foundation for Afghanistan’s triumph, while their bowlers held their nerve to defend a tricky total.
Ibrahim Zadran’s batting brilliance powers Afghanistan to a strong total
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Afghanistan got off to a steady start. Although Rahmanullah Gurbaz departed early for 8 runs, the innings was built around the solid partnership between Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran. Atal played with confidence, scoring a quick-fire 64 from 45 balls, while Zadran anchored the innings brilliantly with a fluent 65 off 45 deliveries, decorated with eight crisp boundaries and a towering six. Their 100-plus stand ensured Afghanistan maintained control of the game.
In the final overs, cameos from Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, and Rashid Khan added crucial runs, pushing the total to 169/5 in 20 overs. Pakistan’s bowlers struggled to contain the run flow, with the exception of Faheem Ashraf, who stood out by claiming four wickets for 27 runs in a disciplined spell. Young spinner Saim Ayub also impressed, conceding just 18 runs and picking up a wicket in his four overs.
Pakistan’s struggle in the chase
Chasing 170, Pakistan’s batting faltered under scoreboard pressure. An aggressive start from Fakhar Zaman, who made 25 from 18 balls, and Sahibzada Farhan‘s 18 off 13, gave some early momentum. However, the middle order crumbled as wickets tumbled at regular intervals. Mohammad Haris and Shaheen Afridi failed to contribute, while Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Nawaz struggled to keep the chase alive with slow knocks in the middle overs.
Just when the game seemed out of reach, Haris Rauf provided unexpected fireworks down the order, blasting 34 runs off only 16 deliveries, including four towering sixes. His late cameo gave Pakistan a glimmer of hope, but with no support from the other end, the effort was not enough. Pakistan eventually finished at 151/9, falling short by 18 runs.
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Defending a competitive total on Sharjah’s batting-friendly surface was never going to be easy, but Afghanistan’s bowlers delivered with precision and variety. Fazalhaq Farooqi struck early blows with figures of 2 for 21, while spinners dominated the middle overs. Nabi and Noor Ahmad both returned with identical figures of 2 for 20, stifling Pakistan’s middle-order resistance. Rashid, as always, proved vital with his two wickets for 30 runs, breaking partnerships at crucial junctures.
The star of the evening was undoubtedly Zadran, whose composed and classy knock of 65 off 45 balls set up Afghanistan’s innings. His ability to rotate strike, punish loose deliveries, and stay calm under pressure earned him the Player of the Match award.
Afghanistan cruise to a comfortable win over Pakistan in Match 04 of the T20I Tri Series 💪#PAKvAFG pic.twitter.com/XLq7zaxXGw
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) September 3, 2025
