Pakistan secured a victory in the final of the tri-series by defeating Afghanistan by 75 runs, thanks to a magnificent hat-trick from Mohammad Nawaz. The series featured Pakistan, Afghanistan, and UAE.
Sports News: Pakistan clinched the final of the tri-series by decisively defeating Afghanistan by 75 runs. In this thrilling encounter, Pakistan's spin bowler Mohammad Nawaz completely turned the game around with his exceptional bowling. He took a hat-trick, saving the day for the Pakistani team, while Afghanistan's batting completely collapsed. This victory proved to be a confidence-boosting result for Pakistan ahead of the Asia Cup 2025.
Pakistan's Slow Start
In the final match, Pakistan opted to bat first after winning the toss, but the team faced difficulties in scoring runs on the challenging Sharjah pitch. After playing the full 20 overs, Pakistan scored just 141 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. The team had a slow start, and the batsmen struggled to add even a single run.
From the team, Fakhar Zaman top-scored with 27 runs, Mohammad Nawaz contributed 25 runs, and Salman Agha played a useful innings of 24 runs. Apart from them, no other batsman could manage a significant score. Afghanistan's bowlers executed a good strategy, with Rashid Khan claiming 3 wickets, Noor Ahmad and Fazal Haq Farooqi taking 2 wickets each, while Allah Ghazanfar picked up 1 wicket. Although Pakistan's score was not high, their bowling made a b comeback in the match.
Mohammad Nawaz's Hat-trick Turned the Tide
The target of 141 runs seemed achievable, but Pakistan's spinner Mohammad Nawaz changed the course of the game. He took two wickets on the last two balls of the sixth over and completed his hat-trick by taking a wicket on the first ball of the eighth over. This thrilling moment proved to be a game-changer for Pakistan.
Nawaz scalped 5 wickets for 19 runs in his 4 overs, including one maiden. His spin bowling rattled Afghanistan's batsmen. Additionally, other Pakistani bowlers provided good support. Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Mukim took 2 wickets each, while Shaheen Afridi took one wicket.
Afghanistan's Batting Completely Flopped
The target of 142 runs was modest, but Afghanistan's batting lineup crumbled completely. The team was bowled out for a mere 66 runs in 15.5 overs. Afghanistan's batting, unable to capitalize on the pitch, was overshadowed by Pakistan's bowling. From Afghanistan, the highest scorer was captain Rashid Khan with 17 runs. Shadiqullah Atal played an innings of 13 runs. The rest of the batsmen couldn't even reach double figures.
