Rasooli, Zadran star as Afghanistan cruise past West Indies

Eighties from Ibrahim Zadran and Darwish Rasooli, followed by a clinical bowling display, set up Afghanistan's 38-run win over the West Indies in the first T20I in Dubai.

Opting to bat first, Afghanistan posted 181/3. Their innings faced early trouble with Rahmanullah Gurbaz run out off the first delivery and Sediqullah Atal falling in the third over, leaving them at 19/2.

The momentum shifted decisively when Darwish Rasooli joined Ibrahim Zadran at the crease. They capitalised on loose bowling, taking Afghanistan to 53/2 by the end of the PowerPlay. The pair raised a 50-run stand in the eighth over, which featured two sixes.

Both batsmen brought up fifties in consecutive overs and benefited from dropped chances as the West Indies put down three catches in one over. Their dominant 162-run partnership, featuring 16 fours and five sixes, was finally broken off the final ball of the innings. Afghanistan had accelerated powerfully, adding 53 runs in the last five overs to reach 181/3.

In reply, the West Indies chase never gained sustained momentum. They lost Brandon King to Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the first over. Johnson Charles made a brisk 27 from 16 balls but was trapped lbw by Mujeeb in the sixth over, shortly after Ziaur Rahman Sharifi dismissed Evin Lewis.

At 45/3 in the PowerPlay, the innings quickly deteriorated to 50/5 as Rashid Khan removed Shimron Hetmyer and Amir Jangoo in successive overs.

A 45-run partnership between debutant Quentin Sampson (30) and Matthew Forde offered brief resistance. After Sampson fell in the 15th over, Gudakesh Motie (28 from 15 balls) joined Forde to add 37 runs, maintaining the tempo.

However, any hope of a revival was extinguished when Noor Ahmad dismissed both Forde and Motie within three deliveries in the 18th over. Sharifi took the final wicket to finish with 3/36, as the West Indies were restricted to 143/9.

Brief Scores:
Afghanistan 181/3 in 20 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 87*, Darwish Rasooli 84; Jayden Seales 1-30) beat West Indies 143/9 (Quentin Sampson 30; Ziaur Rahman Sharifi 3-36, Rashid Khan 2-19) by 38 runs.