Pakistan Dominates Afghanistan in T20I Tri-Series Opener

Pakistan has made a strong statement in the United Arab Emirates T20I Tri-Series, securing a commanding 39-run victory against Afghanistan in their opening fixture. The win puts Pakistan in a favorable position to advance to the series final.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Pakistan posted a competitive total of 182 for 7. The innings was anchored by a superb half-century from Salman Agha, who played a crucial role in setting up the formidable score.

In response, Afghanistan struggled against a disciplined Pakistani bowling attack and were restricted to 143. Haris Rauf was the standout bowler for Pakistan, proving instrumental with a four-wicket haul that stifled Afghanistan's chase. His crucial wickets, including a double-wicket maiden, turned the momentum firmly in Pakistan's favor.

For this match, Pakistan made strategic changes to their squad, resting key players like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf (though Haris Rauf still made an impact with his bowling in this specific match's description, which seems to imply this specific match was *after* the initial squad changes or the description in the first article was a general statement on squad changes across the tri-series). Hasan Ali and Salman Mirza were brought into the side. Muhammad Waseem is leading the UAE team for the tri-series, which also features Afghanistan and Pakistan.