Sports
Dominant bowling display gives Pakistan win against Afghanistan in tri-series opener
- Salman Agha top-scores for Pakistan with unbeaten 53.
- Middle-order collapse derails Afghanistan run chase.
- Afridi, Muqeem and Nawaz chip in with two wickets each.
SHARJAH: Pakistan began their tri-series campaign on a winning note, overpowering Afghanistan with a composed all-round performance at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Chasing a daunting 183-run target, Afghanistan’s batting unit unfolded on a meagre 143 in 19.5 overs despite Rashid Khan’s gutsy knock.
The bowling all-rounder top-scored with a quickfire 39 from just 16 deliveries, laced with one four and five sixes, but his efforts were insufficient to steer Afghanistan to glory.
Afghanistan were in a comfortable position at the conclusion of the seventh over as they were 60/1, with opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz dominating Pakistan’s bowling attack.
Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz gave Pakistan a much-needed breakthrough in the following over by bowling Gurbaz round his leg. He made a 27-ball 38 with the help of three fours and a six.
Following his dismissal, Darwish Rasooli (21) and Sediqullah Atal (23) attempted to retain the momentum but could put together 25 runs during their third-wicket partnership, which culminated with the latter’s dismissal off Haris Rauf in the 12th over.
His dismissal sparked a match-defining middle-order collapse, which saw Afghanistan lose four more wickets for as many runs and consequently slipped to 97/7 in 14.1 overs before Rashid’s grit.
After the Afghanistan captain’s dismissal, Pakistan’s bowling unit swiftly swept away the opposition’s batting tail to round up a dominant victory in their campaign opener.
Haris Rauf led the bowling charge for Pakistan, taking four wickets for 31 runs in 3.5 overs, while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem and Mohammad Nawaz chipped in with two each.
Earlier, the Green Shirts set a 183-run target for Afghanistan after captain Salman Ali Agha’s resilient unbeaten 53 anchored the innings.
Pakistan got off to a brief flying start to their innings as Sahibzada Farhan perished in the third over with 26 runs on the board. The right-handed opener smashed one four and two sixes on his way to a 10-ball 21.
Experienced top-order batter Fakhar Zaman then joined Saim Ayub in the middle, and they put together an anchoring 29-run partnership for the second, which culminated with the latter’s dismissal off Rashid Khan in the seventh over.
Ayub scored a cautious 14 off 16 deliveries with the help of two boundaries.
Pakistan lost two more wickets – Fakhar Zaman (20) and Hasan Nawaz (nine) – in quick succession and consequently slipped to 83/4 in 11.1 overs.
Following the slump, Agha and all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz launched a counterattack on momentum-filled Afghanistan bowlers and added 53 runs for the fifth wicket in just 28 deliveries.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman eventually broke the stand in the 16th over by getting rid of Nawaz, who contributed with an 11-ball 21, featuring one four and two sixes.
Agha was then joined by wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Haris (15) for a 31-run partnership before falling victim to Fareed Ahmad on the second delivery of the final over.
Salman Ali Agha remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with an unbeaten 53 off 36 deliveries, studded with three fours and as many sixes.
Fareed took two wickets for Afghanistan but was expensive as he conceded 47 runs in his four overs, while Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid and Mujeeb made one scalp apiece.
The tri-series is being played from August 29 to September 7 and is regarded as vital preparation for the upcoming ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup, set to take place in the UAE from September 9 to 28.
Originally, Pakistan was scheduled to host Afghanistan in a bilateral series in August.
However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) proposed converting it into a tri-nation event and shifting it to the UAE to provide players with an opportunity to adapt to local conditions ahead of the Asia Cup.
Historically, Pakistan and Afghanistan have faced off seven times in T20 Internationals. The men in green has won four matches, while Afghanistan has claimed victory in three.
‘Colour-coded tickets separate Pakistan, Afghan supporters’
Sharjah Cricket Stadium is alive with excitement ahead of the Pakistan-Afghanistan T20 match, as fans gather in large numbers and ticket sales continue.
Afghan supporters appear in greater numbers than Pakistani fans, while Indian cricket enthusiasts have also turned up to back Afghanistan.
Organisers have set up separate stands, pavilions, and entry routes for both sets of fans. Even the tickets are colour-coded — green for Pakistan supporters and blue for Afghan fans.
Afghan supporters are optimistic about their team’s chances against Pakistan. Despite the intense Sharjah heat, the passion for cricket remains high among the crowds.
Pakistan XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem
Afghanistan XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (capt), Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmed
Legendary England batter Geoffrey Boycott on Monday advised the Ben Stokes-led side to adopt a more strategic and thoughtful approach ahead of the second Ashes Test against Australia, scheduled for Thursday in Brisbane.
England suffered an agonising eight-wicket defeat in the series opener in Perth, which lasted less than two days, the first of which was dominated by the touring side as they had reduced the hosts to 123/9 after accumulating 172 all out.
The visitors now face another gruelling challenge in the blockbuster series as they take on the Baggy Greens in a pink-ball Test, in which the hosts boast a dominant record, having lost just one out of their previous 14 appearances, but Boycott, who has won Ashes both in England and Australia, believes that the Three Lions can win the upcoming game by adopting a calculated strategy.
He, however, warned England batters of self-destruction, advising them to “use their brains” and decide whether to attack or hold back after analysing the situation.
“But it doesn’t help our chances of success if Ben Stokes keeps encouraging our batsmen to attack, attack with one finger hovering over the self-destruct button,” Boycott wrote in his Daily Telegraph column.
“Nobody is asking the players to stop being positive because they have given us some marvellous, thrilling and entertaining cricket. All we ask is for them to use their brains and realise there are times when they should throttle back and be aware of situations and bat accordingly,” he added.
Boycott, who represented England in 108 Tests and 36 ODIs, also slammed Stokes for his comments in which he referred to former cricketers as “has-beens” but expressed satisfaction over the all-rounder’s partial apology.
“To call past players ‘has-beens’ was disrespectful, especially as some of those ‘has-beens’ played in teams that won the Ashes in England and Australia,” Boycott wrote.
“I am glad Ben has half apologised, saying it was a slip of the tongue, because none of this team has won the Ashes in Australia. Get the job done, because then you don’t need to say anything and you can bask in all the glory coming your way.”
The Copa Libertadores trophy won by Flamengo on Saturday was damaged during the team’s title celebrations.
Flamengo beat Palmeiras 1-0 in the final in Lima, Peru, to become the first Brazilian club to lift the prestigious cup four times.
Flamengo players and staff had a victory parade on the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday afternoon, with an estimated 500,000 people joining in the celebrations.
Players and staff took turns to lift the cup during the parade and images showed that the top part of the trophy, which consists of a figurine of a footballer ready to kick a ball, was wrapped in what appeared to be masking tape.
– Flamengo lift Copa Libertadores, but Brazil’s players look exhausted
The figurine had earlier been broken.
Flamengo will be hoping to wrap up the Brazilian league title on Wednesday when they take on Ceara in front of their own fans in Rio’s Maracana stadium.
They are five points clear of Palmeiras at the top of the standings with two games remaining.
Former England cricketer Moeen Ali has announced his return to the Pakistan Super League (PSL), saying he was excited to be part of the league’s “new era”.
After the 10th edition of the PSL earlier this year, the league is set for an expansion to eight teams, with the addition of two new franchises.
Meanwhile, Moeen, who has previously featured in the marquee league when he represented former champions Multan Sultans in the 2020 and 2021 editions, expressed his eagerness to rejoin the league.
Moeen stated that the PSL, since its advent in 2016, has “earned a reputation for top-level T20 cricket”, featuring close competition and talented players.
“I’m really excited to be joining HBL PSL in its New Era. The league has earned a reputation for top-level T20 cricket, with high-quality competition and world-class talent across every team,” Moeen wrote on Instagram.
The 38-year-old, who represented England in 68 Tests, 138 ODIs and 92 T20Is during his illustrious career, was also a part of the Three Lions squad that made its historic tour of Pakistan in 2022 to play a three-match Test series. Besides that, Moeen has made several visits to the country.
Reflecting on his previous experiences in Pakistan, Moeen said that he enjoyed playing in the country and specifically praised the enthusiastic crowd, which he said pushes players to give their best on the field.
“Playing in Pakistan is always incredible; quality of cricket is outstanding and the passion and intensity from the crowd push you to bring your best,” he continued.
“I’m looking forward to being part of it all and creating some great memories along the way. Ready for another special experience Insha’Allah!”
His announcement comes just days after former South African captain Faf du Plessis pulled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to play in the upcoming PSL season.
In a post on Instagram on November 29, the renowned cricketer said that he would not put his name in the IPL auction this year.
“It’s a big decision, and one that comes with a lot of gratitude when I look back,” he wrote in his post.
Eli Lilly cuts cash prices of Zepbound weight loss drug vials on direct-to-consumer site
Geoffrey Boycott advises England to ‘use brains’ for Ashes remainder
Wake Up—the Best Cyber Monday Mattress and Bedding Sales Are Here
-
Sports1 week agoWATCH: Ronaldo scores spectacular bicycle kick
-
Entertainment1 week agoWelcome to Derry’ episode 5 delivers shocking twist
-
Politics1 week agoWashington and Kyiv Stress Any Peace Deal Must Fully Respect Ukraine’s Sovereignty
-
Business1 week agoKey economic data and trends that will shape Rachel Reeves’ Budget
-
Politics1 week ago53,000 Sikhs vote in Ottawa Khalistan Referendum amid Carney-Modi trade talks scrutiny
-
Tech6 days agoWake Up—the Best Black Friday Mattress Sales Are Here
-
Fashion1 week agoCanada’s Lululemon unveils team Canada kit for Milano Cortina 2026
-
Tech1 day agoGet Your Steps In From Your Home Office With This Walking Pad—On Sale This Week