Tag: Afghanistan

DUBAI: The Pakistan cricket team held a training session on Monday ahead of their T20I tri-series fixture against Afghanistan.

The national squad underwent training in the International Cricket Council (ICC) academy.

During the session, the players participated in batting, fielding, and bowling practice under the supervision of the coaches.

Pakistan will square off against Afghanistan for the second time in the triangular series, having previously outplayed them by 39 runs in the opening encounter of the series.

The Men in Green also secured a 31-run victory against the hosts, the UAE, on Saturday, largely due to an outstanding batting display.

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For context, the ongoing T20I series is being played from August 29 to September 7 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE.

The series serves as a launching pad for the teams to prepare for and acclimatise to the conditions ahead of the eight-team ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup, scheduled to take place in the UAE from 9 to 28 September.

Pakistan squad for the UAE tri-series and Asia Cup

Salman Agha (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim

Tri-series schedule (all matches at Sharjah Cricket Stadium)

29 August – Afghanistan v Pakistan – 7pm local time
30 August – UAE v Pakistan – 7pm local time
1 September – UAE v Afghanistan – 7pm local time
2 September – Pakistan v Afghanistan – 7pm local time
4 September – Pakistan v UAE – 7pm local time
5 September – Afghanistan v UAE – 7pm local time
7 September – Final – 7pm local tim

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SHARJAH: UAE have won the toss and elected to bowl first against Afghanistan in the third fixture of the T20I tri-series here at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday.

Playing XIs

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (capt), Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Fazalhaq Farooqi

UAE: Muhammad Waseem (capt), Muhammad Zohaib, Asif Khan, Rahul Chopra (wk), Ethan D’Souza, Harshit Kaushik, Dhruv Parashar, Saghir Khan, Haider Ali, Muhammad Rohid, Junaid Siddique

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD:

Both teams have faced each other 12 times in T20Is. Afghanistan leads with nine victories, while the hosts have managed to win three games.

Matches 12, UAE 9, Afghanistan 9

The ongoing series serves as a launching pad for the teams to prepare for and acclimatise to the conditions ahead of the eight-team ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup, scheduled to take place in the UAE from 9 to 28 September.

This will be Afghanistan and the UAE’s second fixture, following their opening matches against Pakistan.

The series is taking place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE from August 29 to September 7.

READ: Afghanistan, UAE to hold minute’s silence before start of tri-series clash

SHARJAH: Afghanistan and UAE cricket teams will observe a one-minute silence for Afghanistan earthquake victims before start of the tri-series clash here on Monday at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

This follows after a magnitude 6.0 earthquake jolted several parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan at midnight.

Due to the Afghanistan earthquake, around 800 people have lost their lives, and 2,500 have been injured in Kunar province alone.

Following the devastating earthquake, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and the Emirates Cricket Board have decided to express their condolences to the victims of the quake by observing a minute of silence.

“The Emirates Cricket Board joins the Afghanistan Cricket Board in offering sympathies and condolences to the victims of the tragic earthquake,” the Emirati board said in a post on X.

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“The Emirates Cricket Board joins the Afghanistan Cricket Board in offering sympathies and condolences to the victims of the tragic earthquake,” it added.

ACB also expressed grief over the loss of numerous lives due to the earthquake in the eastern province of Afghanistan.

“The leadership of the ACB, along with all the players and staff, express its deepest sorrow over the loss of lives and casualties caused by the severe earthquake in the eastern provinces, particularly in Kunar, ” the board said.

For context, Afghanistan, UAE, and Pakistan are featuring the T20I Tri-Series ahead of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025.

The ongoing series serves as a launching pad for the teams to prepare for and acclimatise to the conditions ahead of the eight-team ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup, scheduled to take place in the UAE from 9 to 28 September.

This will be Afghanistan and the UAE’s second fixture, following their opening matches against Pakistan.

The series is taking place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE from August 29 to September 7.

READ: England all-rounder takes indefinite break from red ball cricket

Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja has heaped praise on Salman Ali Agha for his match-winning innings while slamming the middle order for their reckless approach in the opening game of the T20I tri-series against Afghanistan in Sharjah.

Batting at No.4, Salman played a composed yet attacking knock of 53* off 36 balls, striking three fours and three sixes to lift Pakistan to 182-7.

Afghanistan, in reply, were bundled out for 143 courtesy of Haris Rauf’s brilliant four-wicket haul, as Pakistan sealed a 39-run win.

Speaking on his YouTube channel after the match, Raja said that at one stage the game was slipping away from Pakistan, and it was Salman’s innings that bailed them out.

“Pakistan made 182 on this pitch, but even then Afghanistan looked very much in the contest because conditions hadn’t changed much. If Salman Ali Agha had failed, Pakistan would have been in serious trouble,” he said.

Criticising the batting unit, the former PCB chairman noted that no player apart from Salman showed the required temperament.

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“After putting the opposition under pressure, giving away wickets so cheaply is baffling,” he added.

“The top order showed intent, but no one played a substantial innings. Some got out for 10, 15, 20, when you had Afghanistan on the back foot, why throw it away so easily?” he questioned.

Ramiz Raja credited Salman Ali Agha for displaying the maturity others lacked.

“In such situations, you have to bat smartly, and Salman did just that. Without his innings, Pakistan would have struggled to even cross 150, and Afghanistan would have been right in the game,” he added.

The former cricketer also pointed out that Sharjah’s surface is no longer the traditional slow, turning track that once heavily favoured Afghanistan’s spinners.

“This wasn’t the typical Sharjah pitch. Afghanistan threatened Pakistan, but Pakistan were more professional on the day. Full credit goes to Salman Ali Agha for setting the platform,” he concluded.

READ: Irfan Pathan backs THIS bowler as India’s next pace star

SHARJAH: Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf was visibly frustrated with a journalist after his side’s 39-run victory over Afghanistan in the opening game of the tri-nation T20I series at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Rauf, who starred with the ball by claiming 4-31, played a decisive role in setting up Pakistan’s win.

However, the press interaction turned tense when a journalist downplayed the significance of the fixture, calling it little more than preparation for next month’s Asia Cup 2025.

The 31-year-old pacer firmly rejected the suggestion.

“You are saying it was a practice match, but in my opinion, no international match is ever just preparation,” he said.

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“Every international game carries pressure, and you can’t approach it casually. Whatever your best XI is, you always try to execute the given plans.”

The situation escalated when the same journalist bluntly remarked, “Pakistan ki fielding bekaar thi” (Pakistan’s fielding was poor).

Haris Rauf, caught off guard by the comment, reacted with visible irritation before defending his team.

“I think you might not have watched the match properly. We didn’t make such mistakes in our fielding. Maybe if you review it again, you will see the match actually looked good,” he retorted.

Rauf also dismissed suggestions that Afghanistan entered the contest as favorites.

“I never thought anyone could be favorites over us. We are the biggest favorites,” he stated confidently.

The fast bowler also stressed the importance of leadership and unity within the side, making it clear that respect for the captain is non-negotiable.

“Whoever is the captain of Pakistan is a respectable person in my eyes. For me, any captain of Pakistan deserves the same respect, no matter who it is,” he further stated.

“As players, we will give him that respect, maintain good communication, and on the field, it becomes easier to execute plans. There should be strong bonding, and your messages must always be fair and clear.”

Pakistan will next take on the hosts, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), later today at the same venue.

READ: Rashid Khan laments lost momentum in defeat against Pakistan

SHARJAH: Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan rued the loss of momentum and the quick wickets in the middle overs for his side’s defeat in the opening match of the tri-series against Pakistan here at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Afghanistan were handed a 39-run defeat, and at the halfway mark of the innings, they were cruising with 85-2.

However, in the middle overs, Afghanistan lost the plot, and a collapse sparked by Haris Rauf’s double-wicket maiden left them in dire straits.

After the match, Rashid mentioned his quick-fire knock in which he made 39 from just 16 balls.

“We had it in our mind…that run-rate is something that matters. As long as I can try my best to get close to the target, and luckily we got some runs there,” he said.

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“I feel this is a wicket of 190-200. The lesser we restrict them to, it is a plus for us. Anything 170-175, we are happy to chase. We lost so many wickets (in the overs between 11-15) and that did not give us the momentum (towards the end), ” he expressed his disappointment.

Rashid Khan highlighted the key moment in the match, calling it essential for T20 cricket.

“If we had a couple of good overs between overs 11-16, we could have chased it. That is what T20s is about – you cannot lose momentum and once you do, it is tough.”

“At such times, you cannot play risky shots. You can play your shots, but you have to take a bit of time. You can take singles and rotate strike, and that keeps the pressure off you.

We had a maiden over with two wickets. Four balls, four singles (instead), the momentum could have been different. Rotating strike is key,” he concluded.

READ: Salman Ali Agha hails bowlers after dominant display against Afghanistan

SHARJAH: Salman Ali Agha’s unbeaten half-century, followed by Haris Rauf’s three-wicket haul, powered Pakistan to a 39-run win over Afghanistan in the opening match of the tri-series here at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Chasing a 183-run target, Afghanistan crumbled under pressure and were bundled out for 143 runs in 19.5 overs.

Pakistan struck early as Shaheen Afridi sent Ibrahim Zadran (9) back with a beautiful delivery.

After 17-1 in three overs, Sediqullah Atal and Rahmanullah Gurbaz put on a 51-run partnership in a bid to steady Afghanistan in the chase.

The duo batted with an aggressive approach and took Afghanistan’s total to 68 at the end of the eighth over. However, Pakistan made a strong comeback with Gurbaz’s removal, who was looking dangerous.

He made 38 from 27 balls with the help of a six and three fours.

Despite his wicket, Afghanistan kept up with the required run-rate as the scorecard read 85-2 at the halfway stage of the innings.

Nonetheless, Haris Rauf’s double-wicket maiden 11th over brought Pakistan back into the game. The speedster removed both Atal and Karim Janat with a slower delivery ploy.

The wickets sparked a collapse that Afghanistan could never recover from. As a result, the whole team was bowled out despite Rashid Khan’s blitz, who smashed Rauf for 19 runs in the 18th over to provide his team some hope.

Rashid Khan’s 39 off 16 deliveries featured five elegant sixes.

For Pakistan, it was an all-round bowling effort with Haris Rauf taking a four-wicket haul in his 3.5 overs. Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, and Sufiyan Muqeem took two wickets each.

Earlier, Salman Ali Agha’s sublime knock powered Pakistan to a strong total

After opting to bat first, Pakistan posted 182 for the loss of seven wickets in their allocated 20 overs.

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Green Shirts openers started strong, particularly Sahibzada Farhan, taking on the Afghanistan bowlers in the opening overs.

However, he was caught after scoring 21 off 10 deliveries with the aid of two sixes and a four. As a result, Pakistan were 26-1 in 2.3 overs.

After his wicket, Afghanistan put roadblocks in Pakistan’s progress as Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman struggled to keep up the momentum.

The pair established an important 29-run partnership for the second wicket, which concluded with one player’s dismissal by Rashid Khan in the seventh over.

Ayub played a measured innings, scoring 14 runs off 16 balls, featuring two boundaries.

Pakistan then encountered a swift collapse, losing two additional wickets—Fakhar Zaman (20) and Hasan Nawaz (9)—and found themselves struggling at 83 for 4 in 11.1 overs.

Following this downturn, Agha and all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz mounted a counteroffensive against the Afghanistan bowlers, putting together 53 runs for the fifth wicket in just 28 balls.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman eventually disrupted this partnership in the 16th over by getting rid of Nawaz, who had made a rapid 21 runs off 11 balls, including one four and two sixes.

Agha then partnered with wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Haris, contributing 31 runs to the score before falling to Fareed Ahmad on the second delivery of the final over.

Salman Ali Agha ended as Pakistan’s top scorer, remaining not out on 53 runs from 36 deliveries, which included three fours and three sixes.

For Afghanistan, Fareed Ahmed picked up two wickets, whereas Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman took one wicket each.

READ: Tickets for Asia Cup 2025 games go on sale

Salman Ali Agha’s quick-fire half-century and an all-round bowling performance powered Pakistan to a comprehensive 39-run win in the opening match of the tri-series here at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

AFG143/10( 19.5 Over)

19.5: Haris Rauf gets Fareed to end the match

Fareed Ahmad 1 (6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 16.66

Rauf to bowl the last over of the match

AFG143/9 ( 19 Over)

18.1: Shaheen castles Mujeeb’s stump for his second wicket.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman  4 (9b 0x4 0x6) SR: 44.44

AFG141/8 ( 18 Over)

17.6: Haris has the last laugh as he gets dangerous Rashid Khan who is out after playing a fine knock

Rashid Khan  39 (16b 1×4 5×6) SR: 243.75

AFG122/7 ( 17 Over)

Muqeem continues

AFG 108/7 ( 16 Over)

Shaheen to bowl the 16th over

AFG 99/7 ( 15 Over)

14.1: Sufiyan Muqeem gets Mohammad Nabi, who is caught at long off

Muqeem continues

AFG 97/6 ( 14 Over)

13.3: Azmatullah tries to go big but gets a long way out of the crease. Haris dislodges the bail, and it’s another wicket for Pakistan.

Azmatullah Omarzai 0 (5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

Nawaz back in the bowling attack

AFG 94/5 ( 13 Over) 

12.1: Rasooli is caught courtesy of an excellent catch from Sufiyan Muqeem

Darwish Rasooli  21 (13b 1×4 1×6) SR: 161.53

Muqeem continues

AFG 93/4 ( 12 Over) 

11.6: Rauf with another excellent delivery as Karim Janat is caught for a nought.

Karim Janat 0 (3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

11.3: Haris Rauf gets Atal with a beautiful slower delivery.

Sediqullah Atal  23 (19b 0x4 2×6) SR: 121.05

Haris Rauf comes to bowl

AFG 93/2 ( 11 Over) 

Sufiyan Muqeem to bowl the 11th over.

AFG 85/2 ( 10 Over) 

Saim Ayub brought back

AFG 74/2 (9 Over) 

Salman Ali Agha to bowl the ninth over

AFG 68/2 (8 Over) 

7.6: Nawaz gets dangerous Gurbaz

Rahmanullah Gurbaz 38 (27b 3×4 1×6) SR: 140.74

Nawaz is back

AFG 60/1 (7 Over) 

Saim Ayub into the attack

AFG 50/1 (6 Over) 

Haris Rauf to bowl the last over of the powerplay

AFG 38/1 (5 Over)   

Change in the bowling as Faheem comes to bowl

AFG 23/1 (4 Over)     

Nawaz continues

AFG 17/1 (3 Over)    

2.6: Shaheen rattles Ibrahim Zadran with a beautiful delivery. First blow for Afghanistan.

Ibrahim Zadran  9 (11b 2×4 0x6) SR: 81.81

Shaheen continues

AFG 11/0 (2 Over)            

Nawaz to bowl from the other end

AFG 5/0 (1 Over)

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran to open the innings for Afghanistan. Shaheen Shah Afridi to bowl the first over.

PAKISTAN vs Afghanistan (2nd INNINGS)

Salman Ali Agha’s quick-fire half-century powered Pakistan to 182-7 in the opening match of the tri-series here at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

PAK 182/7 (20 Over)

19.2: Haris tries to go big but is caught at deep mid-wicket

Mohammad Haris  15 (13b 1×4 0x6) SR: 115.38

Fareed Ahmed to bowl the last over

PAK 166/5 (19 Over)

Fazalhaq Farooqi to bowl the 19th over

PAK 156/5 (18 Over)

Rashid Khan comes to bowl

PAK 147/5 (17 Over)

Fareed Ahmad to bowl his third over

PAK 137/5 (16 Over)

15.4: Nawaz is caught at deep mid-wicket as Mujeeb strikes to give Afghanistan a vital breakthrough.

Mohammad Nawaz 21 (11b 1×4 2×6) SR: 190.9

Mujeeb to bowl his last over

PAK 131/4 (15 Over)

Omarzai back into the attack

PAK 117/4 (14 Over)

Nabi to bowl his third over

PAK 112/4 (13 Over)

Rashid Khan to bowl the 13th over

PAK 95/4 (12 Over)

11.1: Fareed Ahmad gets dangerous Nawaz, who was trying to go over long, but the ball went straight into Sediqullah Atal’s hands.

Hasan Nawaz 9 (13b 1×4 0x6) SR: 69.23

Fareed Ahmad continues

PAK 83/3 (11 Over)

Mujeeb comes back to bowl

PAK 76/3 (10 Over)

Fareed Ahmad to bowl his first over

PAK 67/3 (9 Over)

Rashid Khan continues

PAK 63/3 (8 Over)

7.3: Fakhar Zaman tries to go big, and he is caught at long on.

Fakhar Zaman 20 (17b 1×4 1×6) SR: 117.64

Mohammad Nabi to continue

PAK 56/2 (7 Over)

6.5: Rashid Khan gets Saim Ayub as he holes out to cover

Saim Ayub 14 (16b 2×4 0x6) SR: 87.5

Rashid Khan comes to bowl

PAK 54/1 (6 Over)

Mohammad Nabi to bowl the last over of the powerplay

PAK 48/1 (5 Over)

Fazalhaq Farooqi is back in the attack

PAK 35/1 (4 Over)

Mujeeb Ur Rahman continues

PAK 32/1 (3 Over)

2.3: Sahibzada Farhan was looking so good, but unfortunately, he is caught on fine leg.

Sahibzada Farhan 21 (10b 1×4 2×6) SR: 210

Early change in the bowling as Azmatullah Omarzai comes into bowl

PAK 18/0 (2 Over)

Mujeeb Ur Rahman to bowl the second over

PAK 10/0 (1 Over)

Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan come out to open the innings. Fazalhaq Farooqi to bowl the first over of the tri-series.

PAKISTAN vs AFGHANISTAN (1st INNINGS)

SHARJAH: Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bat first against Afghanistan in the opening match of the tri-series here at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

PLAYING XIs

Pakistan: Salman Agha (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem

Afghanistan: Rashid Khan (capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Ishaq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD:

Pakistan and Afghanistan have faced each other in seven T20I matches so far. In this competitive rivalry, Pakistan holds a narrow edge with four victories, while Afghanistan has notched three wins.

Matches 7, Pakistan 4, Afghanistan 3

READ: Final squads announced for ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025

SHARJAH: Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bat first against Afghanistan in the opening match of the tri-series here at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Playing XIs

Afghanistan: 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

Pakistan: 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

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD:

Both teams have faced each other in seven T20I matches so far. In this competitive rivalry, Pakistan holds a narrow edge with four victories, while Afghanistan has notched three wins.

Matches 7, Pakistan 4, Afghanistan 3

The tri-series will serve as a launching pad for the teams to prepare for and acclimatise to the conditions ahead of the eight-team ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup, scheduled to take place in the UAE from 9 to 28 September.

READ: Tickets for Asia Cup 2025 games go on sale

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Cricket Board on Thursday named a six-member commentary panel for the triangular series against Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The commentary panel includes former Pakistan cricketers Ramiz Raja, Aamir Sohail, Bazid Khan, and Salman Butt.

From Afghanistan, Ahmad Fareed will take on the role of commentator, whereas Neeil Ojha is also included in the panel.

The announcement came via the UAE cricket board’s social media handle.

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For the unversed, the opening match of the tri-series will be played between Afghanistan and Pakistan at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

 

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The T20I series will be played from 29 August to 7 September at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE.

This series will serve as a launching pad for the teams to prepare for and acclimatise to the conditions ahead of the eight-team ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup, scheduled to take place in the UAE from 9 to 28 September.

Tri-series schedule (all matches at Sharjah Cricket Stadium)

29 August – Afghanistan v Pakistan – 7pm local time
30 August – UAE v Pakistan – 7pm local time
1 September – UAE v Afghanistan – 7pm local time
2 September – Pakistan v Afghanistan – 7pm local time
4 September – Pakistan v UAE – 7pm local time
5 September – Afghanistan v UAE – 7pm local time
7 September – Final – 7pm local time

READ: WATCH: Salman Ali Agha’s viral reaction after Afghanistan labelled second-best Asian team