UAE T20I Tri-Series 2025 - 3rd T20I, Review: Ibrahim, Atal, Rashid star as Afghanistan register comfortable win

Afghanistan finally got its campaign on track in the ongoing UAE T20I Tri-Series 2025 with a clinical 38-run victory over the hosts, the United Arab Emirates, in Sharjah on Monday. Half-centuries from Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran helped the Afghans to post a strong total before Rashid Khan and Sharafuddin Ashraf ran through the UAE batters.

Put in to bat first, Afghanistan lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz early to Muhammad Rohid. But Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran steadied the innings with an 84-run partnership for the second wicket. Meanwhile, Atal brought up his maiden T20I fifty off 37 balls. Furthermore, Zadran added 63 off 40 deliveries.

The pair ensured Afghanistan crossed 100 in the 13th over. While Atal was dismissed at the hands of Saghir Khan, and Zadran departed in the 18th over, the lower order ensured the innings finished strongly. Azmatullah Omarzai’s 20 off 12 balls and Karim Janat’s 23 off just 10 deliveries guided Afghanistan to 188/4. Janat’s 22-run in Rohid's penultimate over took the visitors well beyond par.

Chasing 189, the UAE looked in the contest thanks to their skipper, Muhammad Waseem. After Muhammad Zohaib's early departure, Waseem took the responsibility upon himself. He smashed Mujeeb Ur Rahman for successive sixes and raced to his half-century in just 25 deliveries. His knock of 67 off 37 balls, laced with four fours and six maximums, kept UAE in the hunt during the powerplay, as they raced to 66/1 in six overs. Stand with Ethan D’Souza and later Rahul Chopra were handy, but Afghanistan’s spinners soon picked up quick wickets.

In the 10th over, Sharafuddin Ashraf removed the dangerous Waseem, which got the team back in the game. Following this, Asif Khan was bowled by Rashid Khan. The star leg spinner was at his best, picking 3/21 in his four overs, while Ashraf finished with 3/24, dismantling the UAE’s middle and lower order.

Though Rahul Chopra fought with an unbeaten 52 off 35 balls, including three fours and as many sixes, the asking rate took UAE out of the equation. The hosts eventually ended on 150/8, well short of the target.