Sharjah : Pakistan began their campaign in the Tri-Nation T20 Series with a 39-run victory over Afghanistan in the opening match.
Batting first after winning the toss, Pakistan posted 182 for 7 in 20 overs. Captain Salman Ali Agha led from the front with an unbeaten 53, while Sahibzada Farhan and Mohammad Nawaz contributed 21 runs each. Fakhar Zaman added 20 runs.
In pursuit of the 183-run target, Afghanistan started strongly, reaching 93 for 2. However, their batting collapsed, losing five wickets for just four additional runs. Despite Rashid Khan’s fighting knock of 39, Afghanistan were bowled out for 143.
For Pakistan, Haris Rauf starred with the ball, claiming four wickets. Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Nawaz, and Sufiyan Muqeem picked up two wickets each.
Captain Salman Ali Agha was named Player of the Match for his match-winning performance.