Rashid Khan Creates T20I Record, Ashraf Shines as Afghanistan Beat UAE in Tri-Series : Match Report & Stats
Afghanistan 188 for 4 (Ibrahim 63, Atal 54, Rohid 2-34) beat UAE 150 for 8 (Waseem 67, Chopra 52*, Rashid 3-21, Ashraf 3-24) by 38 runs.
Player of the Match: Sharafudin Ashraf (Afghanistan)
Afghanistan finally opened their account in the UAE tri-series with a confident 38-run win over the hosts in Sharjah. Half-centuries from Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal set up a strong total before Rashid Khan and Sharafudin Ashraf ran through the UAE chase. To make the night even sweeter for Afghan fans, Rashid moved to No. 1 on the all-time men’s T20I wicket-takers list.
Afghanistan Build a Platform After a Nervous Start
Asked to bat first, Afghanistan had a slow beginning. UAE’s new-ball pair hit tight lines and dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz early, and after three overs the scoreboard looked under par. But Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal kept calm, picked singles, and punished anything loose. The final over of the powerplay changed the mood: a few clean hits from Atal released the pressure and momentum flipped Afghanistan’s way.
Once settled, the partnership blossomed. Ibrahim’s 63 (off 40) showed maturity—late cuts, drives, and quick running—while Atal’s 54 provided the tempo. Their 84-run stand ensured Afghanistan were well placed at the halfway mark, with wickets in hand to attack the death overs.
Death-Over Push Lifts the Total to 188/4
UAE kept things in check through the middle with disciplined seam, but the final stretch belonged to Afghanistan. Azmatullah Omarzai signalled the charge with a big blow over the on side, and then Karim Janat produced the game-breaking penultimate over. Against a bowler who had been excellent earlier, Janat smashed 22 runs—two sixes and two fours—and Afghanistan surged to a competitive 188 for 4.
It was smart T20 batting: set a base, keep wickets, and cash in late. On a Sharjah surface offering true bounce, anything near 190 was always going to test a chasing side under lights.
UAE’s Chase Starts Hot Through Waseem
Chasing 189, UAE needed their captain Muhammad Waseem to fire—and he did. He came out with positive intent, timed the ball beautifully, and even launched a straight six off Rashid early on. With the asking rate under control and eight wickets in hand around the ninth over, UAE looked very much alive in the game.
Rahul Chopra held one end with a sensible, unbeaten knock, but support from the middle order didn’t arrive in time. The chase felt like a one-man show until the key moment arrived: Waseem miscued a lofted shot and fell after a blazing 67 off 37. From there, the balance tilted sharply towards Afghanistan.
Rashid and Ashraf Run Through the Middle
Once Waseem departed, Sharafudin Ashraf and Rashid Khan tightened the screws. Rashid struck first ball to remove Asif Khan and then mixed up pace and flight to rattle the middle order. Ashraf kept it stump-to-stump, drawing mistakes from batters looking to force the pace. The pair finished with identical impact—Rashid 3/21, Ashraf 3/24—as UAE were held to 150/8. Afghanistan won by 38 runs, and, importantly, got their first points on the board.
Match Stats
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 188/4 (Ibrahim 63, Atal 54, Rohid 2-34) |
| UAE | 150/8 (Waseem 67, Chopra 52*, Rashid 3-21, Ashraf 3-24) |
| Player of the Match | Sharafudin Ashraf (Afghanistan) |
All-Time T20I Wicket Kings (Top 5)
- 165 — Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) — No.1
- 164 — Tim Southee (New Zealand)
- 150 — Ish Sodhi (New Zealand)
- 149 — Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)
- 142 — Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh)
Most Sixes in Men’s T20Is (Top 5)
- 205 — Rohit Sharma (India)
- 176 — Muhammad Waseem (UAE)
- 173 — Martin Guptill (New Zealand)
- 160 — Jos Buttler (England)
- 149 — Nicholas Pooran (West Indies)
Most Sixes as T20I Captain
- 110 - Muhammad Waseem (UAE)
- 105 - Rohit Sharma (India)
- 86 - Eoin Morgan (England)
- 82 - Aaron Finch (Australia)
- 79 - Kadowaki Fleming (Japan)
- 69 - Jos Buttler (England)
Most 50+ Scores as T20I Captain
- 26 — Babar Azam (Pakistan)
- 17 — Muhammad Waseem (UAE)
- 16 — Rohit Sharma (India)
- 16 — Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
- 15 — Aaron Finch (Australia)
- 13 — Virat Kohli (India)
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