Sharjah, Sept 8: Pakistan produced a dominant display in the tri-series final as Mohammad Nawaz’s stunning bowling performance, including a hat-trick, secured a 75-run victory over Afghanistan at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Defending a modest target of 142 runs on a challenging surface, Pakistan bowled Afghanistan out for just 66 runs in 15.4 overs. Nawaz was the star of the show, finishing with extraordinary figures of 5 for 19, the best of his T20 International career. His spell included a crucial hat-trick that broke the back of Afghanistan’s chase and ensured Pakistan’s comfortable win.
Earlier, Pakistan’s batting struggled on a tricky pitch, managing only 141/8 in their 20 overs. Fakhar Zaman was the top scorer with 27 runs, while Afghan captain Rashid Khan bowled brilliantly, claiming 3 wickets to keep Pakistan in check.
But Afghanistan’s hopes of chasing down the target quickly faded as their batting collapsed under relentless pressure from the Pakistani bowlers. Nawaz’s incisive spell left the Afghan batting lineup in tatters, as none of their players could build momentum.
The victory gave Pakistan the tri-series title and also served as a strong statement ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup, with Nawaz’s performance standing out as a timely boost for the team’s confidence.