Salman Agha and Haris Rauf Lead Pakistan to Victory Against Afghanistan

In the opening match of the T20I tri-series in Sharjah, Pakistan secured a commanding 39-run victory over Afghanistan, thanks to a stellar performance from skipper Salman Agha and pacer Haris Rauf. Pakistan posted a competitive total of 182/7 before bowling out Afghanistan for 143 in the final over.

Pakistan's Resilient Batting

Pakistan's innings got off to a shaky start, with the team struggling at 83/4 midway through their innings. However, Salman Agha anchored the innings brilliantly, scoring an unbeaten 53 off 41 balls. He received valuable support from Mohammad Nawaz and others, whose cameos helped Pakistan push past the 180-run mark. Agha's composed knock under pressure was instrumental in setting Afghanistan a challenging target.

Afghanistan's Collapse

In reply, Afghanistan started promisingly but crumbled under the pressure of Pakistan's bowling attack. Haris Rauf was the standout performer, claiming four wickets for just 31 runs, while Shaheen Afridi provided crucial early breakthroughs by dismissing two top-order batsmen. Afghanistan's middle order collapsed in dramatic fashion, losing five wickets for just four runs. Despite a late flurry of sixes from Rashid Khan (39 off 22), Afghanistan fell short by 39 runs.

"Haris Rauf's spell was the turning point," said Pakistan's coach after the match. "He bowled with discipline and pace, and the wickets at key moments shifted the momentum in our favor."

Looking Ahead

The victory gives Pakistan a strong start to the tri-series, with their next match scheduled against the third team in the competition. Afghanistan will look to regroup and bounce back in their upcoming fixtures.