SHARJAH: Afghanistan set a 170-run target for Pakistan in the fourth match of the T20I tri-series at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, powered by half-centuries from Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal.
Batting first, Afghanistan posted 169/5 in 20 overs, with the highlight being a crucial 113-run stand for the second wicket between Zadran and Atal. Their partnership steadied the innings after Rahmanullah Gurbaz fell early for just eight runs, dismissed by Saim Ayub in the second over.
Atal scored 64 off 45 balls, hitting three fours and three sixes, before falling to Faheem Ashraf in the 16th over. Faheem went on to deliver a stellar spell, finishing with career-best figures of 4/27, removing Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Zadran, and Mohammad Nabi.
Zadran top-scored for Afghanistan with a fluent 65 off 45 deliveries, including eight boundaries and a six. Rashid Khan and Karim Janat remained unbeaten on eight runs each to close out the innings.
For Pakistan, Faheem Ashraf was the pick of the bowlers, while Saim Ayub chipped in with one wicket for 18 runs in his four overs.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (capt), 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, Rashid Khan (capt), Mohammad Nabi, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
