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SHARJAH: Pakistan’s mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed etched his name into the record books with a sensational spell against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the T20I tri-series on Thursday.
Featuring in his first match of the series, the 26-year-old made an instant impact, returning remarkable figures of 4 for 9 in four overs – the fourth-best figures recorded by a Pakistan spinner in T20Is.
Abrar struck in his second over by removing UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem (19), before tightening the screws in his third over with back-to-back scalps of Asif Khan (7) and Rahul Chopra, who fell for a two-ball duck.
He then rounded off a memorable outing by dismissing Harshit Kaushik (3) with the final ball of his spell.
With this performance, Abrar joins an elite list of Pakistan spinners in T20 internationals.
Sufiyan Muqeem holds the top spot with 5 for 3 against Zimbabwe in 2024, followed by Imad Wasim’s 5 for 14 against West Indies in 2016, and Shadab Khan’s 4 for 8 against Hong Kong in 2022.
Best bowling figures by a Pakistan spinner in T20Is:
Speaking after being named Player of the Match, Abrar revealed he had studied the conditions and opposition closely before stepping onto the field.
“I was watching the earlier matches and looking at the pitch conditions, so I bowled accordingly. This time I also sat with Talha bhai to analyse each batter, especially Waseem bhai,” Abrar said.
“There’s always a bit of extra pressure, but the captain trusts me to be ready at any stage, and that belief gives me confidence,” he added.
Pakistan, having won three out of their four group-stage matches, have booked a place in the tri-series final where they will face Afghanistan on Sunday, September 7, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
