Sharjah [UAE], August 30 : Pakistan's all-rounded display took the limelight as Afghanistan crumbled to a 39-run defeat just more than a week before the Asia Cup on Friday at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
While pursuing the 183-run target in the tri-nation series opener, Afghanistan were jolted early with Ibrahim Zadran (9) left bamboozled from a searing inswinging yorker from Shaheen Shah Afridi, a trademark from the left-arm speedster.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz upped the ante while executing his shot with chivalry in the powerplay. He shuffled across the crease and whipped tearaway Haris Rauf over the deep backwards square-leg fence with his sheer power to lift Afghanistan to 50/1 at the end of the first six overs.
Gurbaz's belligerent approach ultimately led to his downfall. He tried to sweep Mohammad Nawaz, missed and saw the stumps ignite, forcing Gurbaz to return on 38 (27).
The floodgates opened, and the game-changing moment came from Rauf's searing deliveries. He cranked up the pace and bowled a double-wicket maiden over in the 12th, scything wickets of Sediqullah Atal (23) and Karim Janat (0) in the process.
Sufiyan Muqeem cast a spell with his left-arm wrist spin and lured Darwish Rasooli (21) to chip the ball back into his hands.
The wicket kept moving towards the slower side, which massively shot down Afghanistan's chances to pull off the heist. From 93/2, Afghanistan were left threadbare at 97/7 as the required rate soared past Afghanistan's reach.
Rashid played an entertaining 39(16) cameo before holing it, and Hasan Nawaz as Afghanistan surrendered to a 39-run defeat.
Earlier in the contest, the coin spun in Pakistan's favour, and they opted to bat on the Sharjah pitch, which bore hardly any resemblance to its true nature. Fakhar Zaman (20) and Sahibzada Farhan (21) got off to a start but failed to convert.
Saim Ayub remained rustic and eventually perished against Afghanistan skipper and its premier spinner Rashid Khan. With Pakistan reeling at 63/3 in 7.3 overs, a captain's knock from Salman Ali Agha's bat was the need of the hour.
Salman rose to the occasion and found the boundary rope at his will. His brisk-paced unbeaten 53 from 36 deliveries, laced with three fours and as many towering maximums, set the tone for Pakistan.
Mohammad Nawaz (21 from 11) and Faheem Ashraf (14 from 5) played an impactful cameo to propel Pakistan to a daunting 182/7, which proved too much for Afghanistan at the end.
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