Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Mohammad Nawaz, Player of the Match: The plan was very simple. We knew the pitch was difficult to bat on and we felt we had enough runs. Our focus was on disciplined bowling, sticking to line and length and it worked. After my first two balls, I noticed there was spin, so I adjusted the pace accordingly. I bowled within the stumps, keeping the pads in view. I'm feeling really good and in rhythm, and having that control gives me confidence to stick with the plan. I try to keep it simple and execute plans properly. At that point in the innings, we needed partnerships. It wasn't easy to go after their spinners - they're world-class - but we managed to recover and aimed for 140. Thankfully, we got there

Rashid Khan, Afghanistan Captain: I feel like that was a chaseable total but we didn't play the brand of cricket we wanted. Losing five wickets inside the powerplay made it really hard to bounce back. Sharjah wickets always give you a different impression before match but once the match starts, it's different. I was surprised by how much it spun. It's important for us to learn from these conditions ahead of the Asia Cup. Over the last 8-9 months, we haven't played much T20 cricket together and a series like this gives us positive energy. I think it's going to be a great and exciting Asia Cup for us

Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan Captain: It was the kind of wicket where even 130-140 was always going to be challenging and once we got there, we knew it would be tough for them. Since Nawaz's comeback, he's been outstanding, performing brilliantly in all departments. For me, he's the guy I can rely on in tough situations. People often ask us - former cricketers, fans on social media - why we don't play two spinners. We select based on conditions and today it worked. We wanted to prepare in a way that helps us for the Asia Cup and we've done that. We've been doing really well since the Bangladesh home series. Finally, we're in very good shape and fully prepared for the Asia Cup

Pakistan register an emphatic win and will head into the Asia Cup with massive confidence. Their spin stocks look strong and the variety in their attack - especially in UAE conditions - will help them pose a stiff challenge to any opposition. Today, the batters struggled to negotiate spin but Salman and Nawaz steadied the ship and put enough runs on the board. Afghanistan were handed a taste of their own medicine and found it onerous to deal with spin, folding for just 66. Mohammad Nawaz decimated the batting line-up with his control and canny off-spin, ending a stellar day at the office with a memorable hat-trick. As for Afghanistan, their chase was frantic from the start and a sense of chaos remained the theme throughout the innings. Quick wickets only exacerbated the pressure and they couldn't recover after the powerplay. That said, this high-pressure final will help both teams identify weak spots and fine-tune their plans before the all-important Asia Cup. Thank you for your feedback and for following our coverage throughout this tri-series. This is Rvel Zahid, signing out.

This is Afghanistan's second lowest total

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15.5
W
Sufiyan Muqeem to Ghazanfar, OUT, that'll be that! An utterly clinical performance from Pakistan! Afghanistan fans are crestfallen as their team didn't turn up tonight. Ball didn't turn on this occasion, just held its line outside off, he throws his bat at it and a thick outside edge carries to Abrar at short third. Pakistan win the tri-series This is the second lowest total defended at Sharjah.

AM Ghazanfar c Abrar Ahmed b Sufiyan Muqeem 7 (12m 7b 0x4 1x6) SR: 100

15.4
0
Sufiyan Muqeem to Ghazanfar, no run, fuller and attacks the stumps, forces it back to bowler
15.3
1b
Sufiyan Muqeem to Fazalhaq Farooqi, 1 bye, pitched up and just outside off, might have got an outside edge, through the keeper
15.2
0
Sufiyan Muqeem to Fazalhaq Farooqi, no run, not flirting with the wide one, shorter and turning across off
15.1
0
Sufiyan Muqeem to Fazalhaq Farooqi, no run, Over the wicket, tossed full on the toes, driven back to the bowler

END OF OVER:
15 | 1 Run | AFG: 65/9 (77 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 4.33, RRR: 15.40)

  • Fazalhaq Farooqi2 (8b)
  • AM Ghazanfar7 (5b)
  • Abrar Ahmed4-0-17-2
  • Sufiyan Muqeem2-0-9-1
14.6
1
Abrar Ahmed to Fazalhaq Farooqi, 1 run, shorter and turns away from off, clears front leg and smashes it to deep midwicket, will keep the strike
14.5
0
Abrar Ahmed to Fazalhaq Farooqi, no run, fuller and straightening down the middle, going on with the arm, straight bat defence down the pitch
14.4
0
Abrar Ahmed to Fazalhaq Farooqi, no run, flighter fuller, turns in at middle and off, patted towards cover
14.3
0
Abrar Ahmed to Fazalhaq Farooqi, no run, good length on middle, plan is to block, this time defended to backward point
14.2
0
Abrar Ahmed to Fazalhaq Farooqi, no run, back of a length and outside off, left alone for the keeper to collect
14.1
0
Abrar Ahmed to Fazalhaq Farooqi, no run, slip in place. Over the wicket, looped up on off, glides it behind point

END OF OVER:
14 | 7 Runs 1 Wkt | AFG: 64/9 (78 runs required from 36 balls, RR: 4.57, RRR: 13.00)

  • AM Ghazanfar7 (5b)
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi1 (2b)
  • Sufiyan Muqeem2-0-9-1
  • Mohammad Nawaz4-1-19-5
13.6
0
Sufiyan Muqeem to Ghazanfar, no run, very quick through the air, short of a length and curling across off, opens the face to cut and gets beaten
13.5
6
Sufiyan Muqeem to Ghazanfar, SIX, quicker back of a length delivery on off, hits it leisurely over deep square and it goes all the way, took a step back and connected right out of the middle
13.4
0
Sufiyan Muqeem to Ghazanfar, no run, quicker on a length just outside off, shanked back to the bowler's right
13.3
1
Sufiyan Muqeem to Fazalhaq Farooqi, 1 run, worked off the backfoot to Shaheen who runs forward around backward square
13.2
0
Sufiyan Muqeem to Fazalhaq Farooqi, no run, tossed up outside off, opens the face for patient and compact defence to point
13.1
W
Sufiyan Muqeem to Noor Ahmad, OUT, Tossed up just outside off and he wafts it to third man, Abrar Ahmed takes a spectacular running catch. Chaotic attempt at the target, just no sense of calm and never really able to recover from the early jolt

Noor Ahmad c Abrar Ahmed b Sufiyan Muqeem 3 (11m 6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50

END OF OVER:
13 | 8 Runs 1 Wkt | AFG: 57/8 (85 runs required from 42 balls, RR: 4.38, RRR: 12.14)

  • AM Ghazanfar1 (2b)
  • Noor Ahmad3 (5b)
  • Mohammad Nawaz4-1-19-5
  • Sufiyan Muqeem1-0-2-0
12.6
0
Mohammad Nawaz to Ghazanfar, no run, higher loop and floated on a length just inside tramline, tried to slug it over cover and he finishes a staggering spell of bowling, 5-19. Done his job exceedingly well on the big night
12.5
1
Mohammad Nawaz to Noor Ahmad, 1 run, length on middle with slight turn from off, driven into the covers
12.4
0
Mohammad Nawaz to Noor Ahmad, no run, tossed up on off, sliced to point
12.3
1
Mohammad Nawaz to Ghazanfar, 1 run,
12.2
W
Mohammad Nawaz to Rashid Khan, OUT, Nasty collision between Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Haris but Salman made sure to hang onto it, reverse cupping it and Haris was hurtling towards the ball too. Rashid tried to loft it downtown again and ended up skewing a top-edge, taken near cover. It was an angry knock by Rashid who is let down by batters, he came and unleashed onslaught right from the word go

Rashid Khan c Agha Salman b Mohammad Nawaz 17 (18m 18b 0x4 2x6) SR: 94.44

12.1
6
Mohammad Nawaz to Rashid Khan, SIX,

Afghanistan 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st7Rahmanullah GurbazSediqullah Atal
2nd21Ibrahim ZadranSediqullah Atal
3rd1Darwish RasooliIbrahim Zadran
4th0Azmatullah OmarzaiIbrahim Zadran
5th3Mohammad NabiIbrahim Zadran
6th0Mohammad NabiKarim Janat
7th14Mohammad NabiRashid Khan
8th9Rashid KhanNoor Ahmad
9th2Noor AhmadAM Ghazanfar
10th9Fazalhaq FarooqiAM Ghazanfar