SHARJAH: Afghanistan registered their first victory of the T20I tri-series with a 38-run win over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday night.
The result left the hosts still in search of a breakthrough after two defeats, while Afghanistan bounced back strongly from their opening loss against Pakistan.
The evening began with a sombre note as both teams observed a one-minute silence to honour the victims of the devastating 6.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Afghanistan at midnight. The tremor, centred in Kunar province, claimed around 800 lives and injured 2,500 others. Players stood shoulder to shoulder as the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) paid tribute to those affected.The Emirates Cricket Board joins the Afghanistan Cricket Board in offering sympathies and condolences to the victims of the tragic earthquake.
A one-minute silence will be observed today at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium before the start of the UAE-Afghanistan T20I Tri-Series
The ACB released a statement describing its “deepest sorrow over the loss of lives and casualties caused by the severe earthquake,” while the ECB echoed sentiments of solidarity on social media, calling the tribute a mark of respect for the victims.
Afghanistan vs UAE
UAE captain Muhammad Waseem chose to field first after winning the toss, but Afghanistan’s batters seized the opportunity to set a commanding total. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran provided a brisk start before captain Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi added vital runs down the order to lift Afghanistan’s score.
In reply, UAE’s chase faltered despite resistance from their middle order. Afghan bowlers, led by Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, maintained pressure throughout, restricting the hosts and sealing a 38-run victory. The win marked Afghanistan’s 10th triumph in 13 T20I meetings with the UAE.
Playing XIs
Afghanistan fielded Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (captain), Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Fazalhaq Farooqi.
UAE lined up with Muhammad Waseem (captain), Muhammad Zohaib, Asif Khan, Rahul Chopra (wk), Ethan D’Souza, Harshit Kaushik, Dhruv Parashar, Saghir Khan, Haider Ali, Muhammad Rohid and Junaid Siddique.
Tournament build-up
The tri-series, running from 29 August to 7 September in Sharjah, features Pakistan, Afghanistan and the UAE. All three teams are using the competition to fine-tune preparations for the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, which will be held in the UAE from 9 to 28 September.
