• Source:JND
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AFG vs UAE T20I Tri-Series: Afghanistan made a brilliant comeback after losing to Pakistan during their series opener and thus defeated the UAE by 38 runs during the 3rd T20I in Sharjah on Sunday. This win was all about captain Rashid Khan creating history as he had become the highest wicket-getter in the shortest format after taking 165 wickets and had also pipped New Zealand's Tim Southee.

While batting first, the visitors had posted a mammoth target of 188 runs. Opener Rahamanullah Gurbaz was dismissed early, but Sediqullah Atal helped the team bounce back by scoring a brilliant knock of 54 runs off 40 balls, in which he had smashed four fours and three sixes.

Ibrahim Zadran spearheaded their batting attack as he scored a match-winning knock of 63 runs off 40 balls at a staggering strike rate of 157.50. Azmatullah Omarzai and Karim Janat's late surge helped the side score more than 180 runs.

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While chasing, the UAE did put up a fight on the back of captain Muhammad Waseem's gritty knock of 67 runs off 37 balls, in which he had smashed four fours and six sixes. He, along with wicketkeeper Rahul Chopra, who had scored 52 runs off 35 balls, stitched a brilliant partnership. But the rest of the batting attack faced a batting collapse while playing against a formidable Afghanistan bowling attack.

Rashid Khan was the pick among the bowlers as he registered match-winning figures of 3/21 in the four overs that he bowled, as he had dismissed batters like Ethan D'Souza, Asif Khan, and Dhruv Parashar. He didn't just rattled the host batting lineup but also turned the tide of the match in Afghanistan's favour. Sharafudin Ashraf assisted him brilliantly by registering figures of 3/24, and Mohammad Nabi also made a significant contribution by taking one wicket. Fazalhaq Farooqi gave the team the much-needed breakthrough.

UAE could just score 150 runs after 20 overs and thus failed to chase the target as Waseem's heroics went in vain. Afghanistan thus registered their first win, and it boosted their confidence after they lost their first match against Pakistan.

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Brief Scores

Afghanistan: 103 all out in 17.3 overs. Ibrahim Zadran 63, Sediqullah Atal 54; Muhamamd Rohid 2/34, Saghir Khan 4/52

UAE: 150/8 in 20 overs. Muhammad Waseem 67, Rahul Chopra 44*; Rashid Khan 3/21, Sharafuddin Ashraf 3/24

Result: Afghanistan beat the UAE by 38 runs.