Nawaz’s hat-trick guides Pakistan to tri-series victory over Afghanistan
SHARJAH: Pakistan clinched the tri-nation T20I series title with a commanding 75-run victory over Afghanistan in the final at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday, thanks to a brilliant spell from spinner Mohammad Nawaz.
Defending a modest total of 142, Pakistan bowled Afghanistan out for a mere 66. The collapse began early as Rahmanullah Gurbaz was removed for five in the opening over by Shaheen Afridi.
From there, Afghanistan’s batting line crumbled. Sediqullah Atal (13 off 15) was cleaned up by Abrar Ahmed in the sixth over, leaving the score at 28-2.
Mohammad Nawaz then turned the game decisively in Pakistan’s favour with a sensational over — dismissing Darwish Rasooli and Azmatullah Omarzai off consecutive balls before completing a hat-trick with the first delivery of his next over, trapping Ibrahim Zadran (9) with sharp glove work from wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris.
He added a fourth wicket in the same over by removing Karim Janat for nought, reducing Afghanistan to 32-5. Abrar Ahmed later accounted for veteran Mohammad Nabi (3 off 10), while Nawaz returned to claim Rashid Khan for 17 to finish with superb figures of 5/19 in his four overs.
Sufiyan Muqeem and AM Ghazanfar applied the finishing touches, cleaning up the tail to end Afghanistan’s innings at just 66 in 12.4 overs. Alongside Nawaz’s five-for, Abrar and Muqeem took two wickets each, with Shaheen Afridi picking one.
Earlier, Pakistan’s batting effort was a mixed one. After losing Sahibzada Farhan for a duck to Fazalhaq Farooqi, Saim Ayub (17) and Fakhar Zaman (27) stitched together 49 runs before both departed in quick succession to Noor Ahmad and Rashid Khan.
Rashid tightened the screws further by removing Hasan Nawaz (15) soon after the drinks break, while Noor Ahmad sent back Mohammad Haris (2), leaving Pakistan wobbling at 73-5.
Captain Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Nawaz steadied the innings with a valuable 40-run stand. Salman made 24 off 27 before falling to Rashid Khan, while Nawaz chipped in with 25 off 21. Late breakthroughs from Ghazanfar and Farooqi restricted Pakistan to 141-8 from their 20 overs, with Shaheen Afridi (2) and Sufiyan Muqeem (1) unbeaten at the end.
For Afghanistan, Rashid Khan led the attack with 3/38, Noor Ahmad and Farooqi bagged two each, and Ghazanfar picked up one.
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