Salman Agha, Haris Rauf star in tri-series opener

Salman Agha, Haris Rauf Star in Tri-Series Opener

Pakistan made a winning start in the T20I tri-series in Sharjah, defeating Afghanistan by 39 runs. Skipper Salman Agha's unbeaten fifty and a four-wicket haul from Haris Rauf were the highlights of the match.

First Innings

Pakistan finished with 54 in the powerplay, but a miserly opening spell from Mujeeb Ur Rahman restricted their scoring. Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi struck in successive overs to put Pakistan under pressure. However, Salman Agha's rearguard effort, along with Mohammad Nawaz's sixes, helped Pakistan stage a commendable recovery. Agha remained unbeaten on 53, pushing Pakistan past the 180-run mark.

Second Innings

Shaheen Afridi's trademark inswinging yorker got rid of Ibrahim Zadran early in the chase. Afghanistan struggled to keep up with the run rate, but Rahmanullah Gurbaz's fours and Sediqullah Atal's sixes kept them in the game. However, Haris Rauf's two wickets in a single over, including Atal's mistimed shot, dented Afghanistan's hopes. Pakistan then took full control, with Afghanistan losing five wickets for just four runs. Rashid Khan's five sixes, including three in an over from Rauf, were not enough to change the outcome.

Brief Scores

• Pakistan: 182/7 in 20 overs (Salman Agha 53*; Fareed Ahmad 2/47)
• Afghanistan: 143 in 19.5 overs (Rashid Khan 39; Haris Rauf 4/31, Shaheen Afridi 2/21)
• Result: Pakistan won by 39 runs