![\"Afghanistans](\"https:\/\/www.geo.tv\/assets\/uploads\/updates\/2025-09-02\/621598_4756351_updates.jpg\")
- \n
- Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran declared Player of the Match.<\/span><\/li>\n
- Faheem Ashraf shines with career-best four wickets for 27.<\/span><\/li>\n
- Pakistan to face United Arab Emirates on Thursday.
<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nAfghanistan exhibited outstanding performance in all fields as they defended a 170-run target against Pakistan in the fourth match of the T20I tri-series at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Chasing a daunting 170-run target, Pakistan\u2019s batting unit could accumulate 151\/9 in their set of 20 overs.<\/p>\n
The Green Shirts had a dismal start to the pursuit as they lost both their openers \u2013 Saim Ayub (zero) and Sahibzada Farhan (18) \u2013 inside four overs with just 29 runs on the board.<\/p>\n
Following the early hiccup, experienced top-order batter Fakhar Zaman and skipper Salman Ali Agha attempted to launch a recovery and had put together 33 runs for the third wicket before both perished in successive overs, reducing Pakistan to 67\/4 in 8.3 overs.<\/p>\n
Fakhar remained a notable run-getter for Pakistan with an 18-ball 25, featuring three fours and a six, while Agha made 20 off 15 deliveries with the help of one six and a four.<\/p>\n
The back-to-back dismissals triggered a match-defining collapse, which further reduced Pakistan to 111\/9 in 17 overs.<\/p>\n
Tailenders Haris Rauf and Sufiyan Muqeem offered brief resistance at the backend by putting together an unbeaten 40-run partnership for the 10th wicket, which, however, was insufficient to steer them to glory.<\/p>\n
Rauf, who dominated the sensational stand, top-scored for Pakistan with 34 not out from just 16 deliveries with the help of four sixes, while Muqeem contributed with an unbeaten seven.<\/p>\n
For Afghanistan, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad and Fazalhaq Farooqi bagged two wickets each.Opting to bat first, Afghanistan racked up a massive total of 169\/5 in their allotted 20 overs, courtesy of a monumental second-wicket partnership between Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal.<\/p>\n
Afghanistan got off to a shaky start to their innings as Saim Ayub dismissed their explosive opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz (eight) in the second over with just 10 runs on the board.<\/p>\n
Following the early stutter, Zadran joined Atal in the middle, and together they raised 113 runs during their second-wicket partnership.<\/p>\n
The century-plus stand was eventually broken by Faheem Ashraf in the 16th over when he got Atal caught at long-on. The left-handed opener smashed three fours and as many sixes on his way to a 45-ball 64.<\/p>\n
Faheem picked two more wickets in his next overs, dismissing Azmatullah Omarzai and set batter Zadran, and reduced Afghanistan to 146\/4 in 17.5 overs.<\/p>\n
Zadran remained the top-scorer for Afghanistan with 65 off 45 deliveries, laced with eight fours and a six.<\/p>\n
The right-arm pacer then dismissed veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi (six) in the final over to round up his career-best bowling figures of 4\/27.<\/p>\n
Skipper Rashid Khan and fellow all-rounder Karim Janat remained unbeaten on eight each.<\/p>\n
Besides Faheem, Saim Ayub was the only wicket-taker for Pakistan, making one scalp for 18 runs in his four overs.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
- Faheem Ashraf shines with career-best four wickets for 27.<\/span><\/li>\n