Pakistan to take on UAE in Sharjah battle

Pakistan faces a must-win situation in the ongoing tri-nation T20 series in Sharjah as the team looks to secure a place in the final.

Pakistan and Afghanistan currently hold the first and second positions on the points table, with four points each. If Pakistan fails to win today’s match, their qualification hopes will depend on the outcome of the clash between Afghanistan and the UAE tomorrow. Meanwhile, UAE will also fight hard today in search of their first victory. To stay alive in the tournament, UAE must win both their remaining matches with big margins.

The final of the tri-series is scheduled for September 7. Earlier, Afghanistan outclassed Pakistan by 18 runs in the fourth match of the series. Batting first after winning the toss, Afghanistan posted 169 runs for the loss of five wickets in 20 overs. Ibrahim Zadran played a fine knock of 65 runs, while Siddiqullah added 64. For Pakistan, Faheem Ashraf was the standout bowler, taking four wickets, while Saim Ayub grabbed one for 18 runs in his four-over spell.

In reply, Pakistan struggled to chase the target of 170 and could only manage 151 runs for nine wickets. Haris Rauf top-scored with 34 runs, followed by Fakhar Zaman with 25, Salman Agha with 20, and Sahibzada Farhan with 18. Afghanistan’s bowling attack dominated, with Fazal Haq Farooqi, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Noor Ahmed picking up two wickets each. Pakistan had earlier defeated Afghanistan by 39 runs in the first T20 of the series, but the latest defeat has increased the pressure on the men in green. Today’s game will be crucial for Pakistan to keep their final hopes alive.