UAE Tri-series Archives

Abrar Ahmed reflects on match-winning performance against UAE

SHARJAH: Pakistan’s mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed opened up after winning the player of the match award for his impressive bowling performance against the UAE in the fifth fixture of the tri-series here at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Pakistan defeated UAE in the fifth fixture of the T20I tri-series, sealing a final berth here on Thursday at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

In pursuit of a 172-run target, UAE fell short by 31 runs and could only muster 140-7 in their 20 overs.

For Pakistan, Abrar Ahmed starred with the ball, taking four wickets in his four-over spell and giving away just nine runs.

The right-arm leg break bowler took crucial wickets of Muhammad Waseem, Asif Khan, Rahul Chopra, and Harshit Kaushik to put Pakistan on top.

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Sharing his thoughts after the match, Abrar Ahmed said that he examined the conditions while watching the earlier matches.

“I was watching the earlier matches and looking at the pitch conditions, so I bowled accordingly. I hadn’t analysed the batters much before but this time I sat down with Talha and observed each batter especially Waseem bhai,” he remarked.

Abrar emphasized pitch conditions, noting that Salman Ali Agha expressed confidence in him to deliver.

“I try to bowl based on the pitch. Yes, there is a bit of extra pressure, but the captain told me to be ready at any stage. He has a lot of belief in me, so I’m always ready to step in,” said Abrar Ahmed.

For context, Pakistan defeated Afghanistan and UAE twice to reach the tri-series final. The Men in Green will now face Afghanistan on Sunday, September 7 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

READ: Salman Ali Agha hails ‘match-winner’ Fakhar, Abrar after victory over UAE

Salman Ali Agha hails ‘match-winner’ Fakhar, Abrar after victory over UAE

SHARJAH: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha reflected on the team’s performance after a 31-run victory over UAE, lauding Fakhar Zaman and Abrar Ahmed as match-winners for their vital contribution.

Pakistan defeated UAE in the fifth fixture of the T20I tri-series, sealing a final berth here on Thursday at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

In pursuit of a 172-run target, UAE fell short by 31 runs and could only muster 140-7 in their 20 overs.

For Pakistan, Abrar Ahmed starred with the ball, taking four wickets in his four-over spell and giving away just nine runs.

In batting, Fakhar Zaman top scored with 77* off 44 balls, an innings featuring two sixes and 10 fours.

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He stitched a vital 91* run partnership with Mohammad Nawaz after early jitters to power Pakistan to a strong total.

Speaking in the post-match presentation, Salman Ali Agha highlighted key aspects of the game.

“I think we started well in the power play, but lost too many wickets in the middle overs. Fakhar and Nawaz played outstandingly well. Fakhar is a match-winner–he doesn’t always get the respect he deserves, but he showed his class today. Nawaz has been doing well since his comeback,” he said.

“I think today the ball gripped and turned the most. It was difficult to adjust. Credit goes to Fakhar and Nawaz; they gave us those extra 20 runs,” he added.

He praised bowlers, hailing Abrar Ahmed for his outstanding contribution, stating that he was sure that the 170-run target was enough.

“We knew if we got to 170, we could defend it. Abrar is a match-winner. And the way Shaheen is bowling is outstanding.

Everyone chipped in, but the pick of the bowlers has to be Abrar. We just come to the ground, assess the conditions, and use our bowlers accordingly. Bowling is always going to depend on the pitch. As for the batting, it’s settled,” he concluded.

READ: Fakhar, Abrar star as Pakistan seals tri-series final berth

Fakhar, Abrar star as Pakistan seals tri-series final berth

SHARJAH: Fakhar Zaman’s unbeaten knock, followed by Abrar Ahmed’s outstanding spell, powered Pakistan into the final of the T20I tri-series here at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

In pursuit of a 172-run target, UAE fell short by 31 runs and could only muster 140-7 in their 20 overs.

UAE were off to a steady start with a 41-run partnership, but not until Abrar Ahmed removed Muhammad Waseem on the first ball of the seventh over. He was caught after scoring a run, a ball 19 with the aid of a boundary and a six.

Despite the wicket, UAE batted steadily, reaching the 70-run mark in the 10 overs. However, Ethan D’Souza’s wicket gave Pakistan an opening. D’Souza made nine from 14 balls.

Meanwhile, Alishan Sharafu, playing his first game, continued to bat sensibly with wickets falling around him. In the 13th over, Abrar Ahmed struck twice, first removing dangerous Asif Khan (7) and then Rahul Chopra (0) to put Pakistan on top.

UAE continued to lose wickets amid a creeping required run rate, with Sharafu playing a lone hand. He eventually departed after making 68 from 51 balls, striking four boundaries and four maximums.

As a result, UAE fell short of the target by a similar number of runs —31 in their first fixture of the tri-series against Pakistan.

For Pakistan, Abrar Ahmed starred with the ball, picking up four wickets for just nine runs in his quota of four overs. Mohammad Nawaz and Shaheen Afridi supported him well with one wicket each.

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Earlier, Fakhar Zaman’s composed half-century and Mohammad Nawaz’s cameo took Pakistan to a strong total against UAE.

After opting to bat, Pakistan chalked up 171-5 in their allocated 20 overs.

After racking up 28 runs in only 2.4 overs, Sahibzada Farhan was caught at mid-wicket — a similar pattern of his dismissal to the previous two matches. The right-hander struck a six before getting out after scoring 16 off 11 balls.

Two overs later, Saim Ayub was caught behind in an attempt to play a cover drive. Ayub made 11 off 10 with the help of a six. As a result, Pakistan was reduced to 35-2.

The situation worsened for Pakistan with Salman Ali Agha’s (7) departure on the stroke of the powerplay. Meanwhile, Fakhar Zaman remained firm at one end with wickets tumbling.

In came promoted Mohammad Haris, who put on a brief stand of 24 runs with Zaman before getting trapped lbw, which left Pakistan reeling on 74-4 at the halfway mark of the innings.

Haris hit a four and a six in his sluggish knock off 14 from 17 balls.

At one stage, the 150-run mark looked ominous for Pakistan; yet the visitors crossed it due to UAE’s sloppy fielding, which gave Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Nawaz second chances.

The duo’s unbeaten 91* run partnership, with 42 runs coming off the last two overs, took Pakistan to a strong total.

For UAE, Haider Ali remained the pick of the bowlers, picking up two wickets in his four overs while giving away just 17 runs.

READ: Tanvir Ahmed questions Rizwan’s exclusion amid Haris’ struggles

Pakistan beat UAE to reach tri-series final

SHARJAH: Pakistan beat the UAE by 31 runs to reach the tri-series final here at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

UAE 140/7 (20 Overs)

19.6: Pakistan wins by 31 runs. A margin similar to their win against UAE in their first fixture

19.3: Ali is run out as Pakistan nears victory

Haider Ali 12 (9b 1×4 0x6) SR: 133.33

Faheem Ashraf to bowl his first and last over of the innings

UAE 129/6 (19 Overs)

Shaheen to continue

UAE 119/6 (18 Overs)

Salman Mirza returns

UAE 113/6 (17 Overs)

16.6: Shaheen removes well-set Sharafu

Alishan Sharafu 68 (51b 4×4 4×6) SR: 133.33

Shaheen comes back

UAE 102/5 (15 Overs)

14.6: Abrar Ahmed gets Kaushik. End of a great spell. Four overs, four wickets, and just nine runs.

Harshit Kaushik 3 (5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 60

Abrar to bowl his final over

UAE 98/4 (14 Overs)

Saim continues

UAE 84/4 (13 Overs)

12.5: Abrar is on a roll here. Another one bites the dust

Rahul Chopra 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

12.3: Asif is caught. Big wicket for Pakistan

Asif Khan 7 (5b 0x4 1×6) SR: 140

Abrar returns

UAE 83/2 (12 Overs)

Saim continues

UAE 72/2 (11 Overs)

10.6: Nawaz with a breakthrough for Pakistan.

Ethan D’Souza 9 (14b 0x4 0x6) SR: 64.28

UAE 54/1 (10 Overs)

Saim Ayub returns

UAE 54/1 (9 Overs)

Nawaz comes back to bowl

UAE 49/1 (8 Overs)

Salman Ali Agha comes to bowl

UAE 44/1 (7 Overs)

6.1: Big wicket for Pakistan as captain Waseem is caught

Muhammad Waseem 19 (19b 1×4 1×6) SR: 100

Abrar to continue

UAE 41/0 (6 Overs)

Mohammad Nawaz comes to bowl

UAE 30/0 (5 Overs)

It’s time for some mystery as Abrar Ahmed is introduced into the attack

UAE 28/0 (4 Overs)

Salman Mirza continues

UAE `17/0 (3 Overs)

Shaheen continues

UAE `12/0 (2 Overs)

Salman Mirza to bowl from the other end

UAE 6/0 (1 Over)

New opening pair as Alishan Sharafu and Muhammad Waseem to open the innings for UAE. Shaheen Afridi with the new ball for Pakistan.

PAKISTAN vs UAE (2nd INNINGS)

Fakhar Zaman’s composed half-century and Mohammad Nawaz’s cameo took Pakistan to a strong total against UAE.

PAK 171/5 (20 Overs)

Jawadullah to bowl the final over

PAK 149/5 (19 Overs)

Junaid to continue

PAK 129/5 (18 Overs)

Muhammad Jawadullah to bowl the 18th over

PAK 118/5 (17 Overs)

Junaid comes back

PAK 108/5 (16 Overs)

Haider Ali continues

PAK 97/5 (15 Overs)

Ethan D’Souza comes to bowl

PAK 92/5 (14 Overs)

Haider Ali to bowl his third over

PAK 89/5 (13 Overs)

Parashar continues

PAK 81/5 (12 Overs)

11.3: Big wicket. Hasan Nawaz is caught behind

Hasan Nawaz 4 (6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 66.66

Haider to continue

PAK 78/4 (11 Overs)

Prashar to continue

PAK 74/4 (10 Overs)

9.6: Haris tries to sweep, and there is a loud appeal. Gone. The right-hander’s poor run continues

Mohammad Haris 14 (17b 1×4 1×6) SR: 82.35

Haider Ali into the attack

PAK 73/3 (9 Overs)

Prashar comes back

PAK 66/3 (8 Overs)

Rohid to bowl his last over

PAK 57/3 (7 Overs)

Muhammad Jawadullah to bowl his first over of the night.

PAK 50/3 (6 Overs)

5.4: Pakistan is in dire straits as Rohid snares Salman Ali Agha

Rohid to continue

Salman Agha 7 (5b 1×4 0x6) SR: 140

PAK 45/2 (5 Overs)

4.1: Saim tries to play an expensive drive and is caught behind. Early trouble for Pakistan as both of their openers are back in the dugout.

Junaid Siddique comes back

PAK 35/1 (4 Overs)

Rohid continues

PAK 29/1 (3 Overs)

2.5: Sahibzada Farhan perishes again in a similar fashion. Hits the ball for six, and on the next ball, it’s gone.

Sahibzada Farhan 16 (11b 2×4 1×6) SR: 145.45

Early change in the bowling. Dhruv Parashar comes to bowl.

PAK 13/1 (2 Overs)

Muhammad Rohid to share the new ball

PAK 12/1 (1 Over)

Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan come out to bat for Pakistan. Junaid Siddique takes the new ball for UAE

PAKISTAN vs UAE (1st INNINGS)

SHARJAH: Pakistan have won the toss and opted to bat first against the UAE in the fifth match of the tri-series here at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Muhammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed

UAE: Muhammad Waseem (c), Asif Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Rahul Chopra (wk), Ethan D’Souza, Harshit Kaushik, Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Muhammed Jawadullah, Muhammad Rohid, Junaid Siddique

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD:

Both teams have faced each other twice in the T20I format, with the Green Shirts emerging victorious on both occasions, with the last win coming in the ongoing tri-series by 31 runs.

Matches 2, Pakistan 2, UAE 0

READ: Tri-series: Pakistan win toss, bat first against UAE

Tri-series: Pakistan win toss, bat first against UAE

SHARJAH: Pakistan have won the toss and opted to bat first against the UAE in the fifth match of the tri-series here at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Muhammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed

UAE: Muhammad Waseem (c), Asif Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Rahul Chopra (wk), Ethan D’Souza, Harshit Kaushik, Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Muhammed Jawadullah, Muhammad Rohid, Junaid Siddique

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD:

Pakistan and the UAE have faced each other twice in the T20I format. Pakistan emerged victorious on both occasions, with the last win coming in the ongoing tri-series by 31 runs.

Matches 2, Pakistan 2, UAE 0

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Tanvir Ahmed questions Rizwan’s exclusion amid Haris’ struggles

Former Pakistan fast bowler Tanvir Ahmed has questioned the decision to sideline Mohammad Rizwan following the ongoing struggles of Mohammad Haris in the tri-nation T20I series.

Taking to the social media platform X, Tanvir expressed frustration over the team management’s selection policy after the defeat against Afghanistan.

“If Haris was going to play like this, then why was Mohammad Rizwan deliberately left out of the team?” he asked.

It’s worth noting that Mohammad Haris has endured a torrid run of form in recent months.

Since his century against Bangladesh in June, the wicketkeeper-batter has reached double figures only once in nine innings, a 15-run knock in the tri-series opener.

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His last nine T20I scores read: 4, 0, 5 (vs Bangladesh), 6, 4, 2 (vs West Indies), and 15, 1, 1 (vs UAE and Afghanistan). In total, he has managed just 38 runs across this stretch.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan, along with former skipper Babar Azam, has been out of Pakistan’s T20I setup since December 2024, when both last featured against South Africa. The duo has not been considered in selection plans since.

On the other hand, despite their recent defeat to Afghanistan, Pakistan remain at the top of the tri-series standings with four points from three matches.

Afghanistan is in second place, while the hosts, the UAE, are at the bottom without any wins. Pakistan’s next match will be against the UAE at the same venue on Thursday.

READ: Pakistan’s Haider Ali found not guilty in UK case

Former Pakistan cricketer slams Haris, questions ‘cricketing sense’

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has strongly criticised wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Haris following Pakistan’s 18-run loss to Afghanistan in the Tri-Series on Tuesday.

Haris, who came in to bat at number seven, managed just one run from four deliveries before falling to veteran spinner Mohammad Nabi.

The dismissal drew sharp remarks from Basit, who accused the young batter of playing “senseless cricket” and failing to learn from his repeated mistakes.

“Haris got out to Nabi. My question is, Nabi was brought on specifically to bowl to a left-handed batter, but you still lost your wicket,” Basit said on his YouTube channel.

“This shows you have no cricketing sense. You’re playing senseless cricket, just swinging for a six to look like a hero.”

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He further questioned Haris’s approach and suggested the team management no longer had confidence in him, pointing to his demotion down the batting order.

“Heroes aren’t born overnight; they’re made through hard work. Haris has been given everything easily. When you’re dropping from number six to number seven, it’s clear the coach doesn’t trust you either,” Basit Ali added.

Since his century against Bangladesh in June, Mohammad Haris has struggled for form, scoring double figures only once in his last nine innings, a 15-run knock in the opening match of the ongoing series.

Despite the defeat, Pakistan still top the standings with four points from three games, while Afghanistan sit second and hosts UAE remain winless at the bottom. Pakistan will next take on the UAE at the same venue on Thursday.

READ: Virat Kohli undergoes fitness Test in London ahead of Australia series

Rashid Khan hails clinical bowling after win over Pakistan

SHARJAH: Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan lauded bowlers for their performance in an 18-run victory over Pakistan in the fourth fixture of the tri-series clash here at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Afghanistan outperformed Pakistan by limiting them to a score of 151 for 9 in 20 overs. Noor Ahmad, Rashid Khan, and Mohammad Nabi picked up two scalps each to seal a thrilling win for the side.

In the batting department, Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran starred again. The pair put on a mammoth 113-run stand for the second wicket, with both registering half-centuries to set up Afghanistan’s total.

After the match, Rashid Khan reflected on the importance of the team combination and bench strength.

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“If you bowl in the right areas and with the bowling we have, it is manageable and defendable. That is a kind of tactic.

We have that bench strength. It is not just about the playing eleven. Whoever gets the opportunity can do the job. We decide based on the opposition and who might be useful on that wicket,” he said on the playing combination.

He praised Atal and Zadran for their valuable contributions, stating that they are just on the beginning of their journey.

“Two great players, just the beginning for them. The way they are taking responsibility and reading conditions, they are doing it so well. They understand if we can keep wickets, we can score maximum runs,” Rashid explained.

The all-rounder also emphasized his batting order, noting that he wants to give his batters ample opportunity ahead of the Asia Cup 2025.

That is something which I have been hearing a lot. Last four overs, I feel I can go . But most of the batters, they have not batted much, so give them an opportunity where they can hit a couple of shots and get confidence. That confidence is needed, so I try my best to go lower in the order,” he concluded.

READ: Salman Ali Agha opens up after defeat to Afghanistan in tri-series clash

Salman Ali Agha opens up after defeat to Afghanistan in tri-series clash

SHARJAH: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha shared his thoughts after his side’s defeat against Afghanistan in the fourth fixture of the tri-series clash here at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

In pursuit of a 170-run target, Pakistan could only muster 151-9 in their allocated 20 overs.

Afghanistan’s spinners put pressure on Pakistan during the middle overs. This was evident when Haris Rauf hit a six off Rashid’s over, marking their first boundary since the third ball of the eighth over, aside from four byes in the 11th over.

Pakistan stumbled in the chase, with Haris Rauf top-scoring with an unbeaten 34* off 16 balls laced with four towering sixes.

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For Afghanistan, Fazalhaq Farooqi picked up two wickets, whereas Noor Ahmad, Rashid Khan, and Mohammad Nabi picked up two scalps each to seal a thrilling win.

Following the match, Salman shed light on the team’s performance, rueing the middle-overs where they lost too many wickets.

“I think 170 was gettable. Thought the bowlers did a good job. We lost too many wickets in the middle overs. After eight overs, we were going well, but we lost many wickets,” he said.

He also lauded Afghanistan spinners, calling them a threat once they got their mark.

“When you lose that many wickets, it becomes very difficult. They (the Afghanistan spinners) are quality spinners. If you give any sniff to them, they are good enough to grab it. If we did not lose that many wickets in the middle overs, it could have been a different story,” he concluded.

READ: Fakhar Zaman joins Babar Azam in elite list in Pakistan-Afghanistan tri-series clash

Tri-Series: Zadran, Atal and spinners help Afghanistan outplay Pakistan

SHARJAH: Clinical bowling performance helped Afghanistan beat Pakistan by 18 runs in the fourth match of the tri-series here at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

In pursuit of a 170-run target, Pakistan could only muster 151-9 in their allocated 20 overs.

Pakistan started poorly as Saim Ayub departed for a golden duck in only the second over. Sahibzada Farhan, on the other end, tried to put pressure back on Afghanistan, striking two sixes in AM Ghazanfar’s overs.

However, his innings of 18 from 13 was cut short in the fourth over. As a result, Pakistan were reduced to 29-2.

Fakhar Zaman and captain Sahibzada Farhan paired up for a brief stand of 33 runs to steady Pakistan in the chase.

With Pakistan looking to accelerate, Mohammad Nabi struck for Afghanistan, providing the breakthrough that eventually led to the culmination of the partnership.

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The wicket sparked a collapse that Pakistan could never recover from. Consequently, Pakistan fell short of Afghanistan’s target despite Haris Rauf’s lusty blows.

Haris Rauf remained the top scorer for Pakistan with 34* off 16 balls laced with four towering sixes.

For Afghanistan, Fazalhaq Farooqi picked up two wickets, whereas Noor Ahmad, Rashid Khan, and Mohammad Nabi picked up two scalps each to seal a thrilling win.

Earlier, Faheem Ashraf’s four-wicket haul helped Pakistan restrict Afghanistan to 169-5.

Opting to bat first, Afghanistan managed to score 169 for 5 in their 20 overs.

Afghanistan lost their opener, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, early after scoring eight off 10 deliveries.

However, Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran paired up for a mammoth stand of 113 runs, laying a strong foundation for a big total.

The duo started from where they left off against the UAE, batting with a sensible approach. Both batters kept Pakistan bowlers at bay in the middle overs as Afghanistan’s scorecard read 83-1 at the halfway stage of the innings.

Pakistan did manage to sneak some quite overs, not until the 15th over, where Zadran and Atal took Sufiyan Muqeem to the cleaners. The over leaked 20 runs with Afghanistan threatening to score a massive total.

Yet, Pakistan roared back into the last few overs with quick wickets, which halted Afghanistan’s progress.

Sediqullah Atal made 64 from 45, striking three sixes and three fours, whereas Ibrahim Zadran made 65 from 45 balls, including a six and eight boundaries.

For Pakistan, Faheem Ashraf remained the standout bowler, picking up four wickets. Saim Ayub remained economical with a wicket in his four spell while giving away only 18 runs.

Playing XIs

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

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (capt), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem

READ: Fakhar Zaman joins Babar Azam in elite list in Pakistan-Afghanistan tri-series clash