Saim, bowlers script Pakistan’s consolation win over Afghanistan

SHARJAH: Young left-handed opener Saim Ayub’s sensible 49-run knock and a combined dominant effort by the bowlers led Pakistan to a consolation victory in the third T20I against Afghanistan.

Set to chase a massive 183, Afghanistan’s batting lineup failed completely before being bundled out for a meagre 116 in the 19th over, thus handing a consolation 66-run victory to Pakistan in the third T20I of the series, already wrapped up by Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s new opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sediqullah Atal gave a decent start to their side in the run chase as the pair added 35 runs Ihsanullah castled the former in the fifth over.

Gurbaz could score 18 off 11 deliveries with the help of one boundary and a six.

The hosts then lost two more wickets in quick successions as Atal (11) and Ibrahim Zadran (3) fell in successive overs and resulting in Afghanistan slipping to 39/3 in the seventh over.

Following the slump, Usman Ghani and Mohammad Nabi attempted to anchor the run chase as the pair stitched a gritty 32-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

The duo appeared to have settled down but conceded too many deliveries in the process and thus needed to slog hard to keep up with the mounting required run rate.

The dire need for scoring quickly dented Afghanistan’s pursuit majorly as their in-form all-rounder Nabi perished due to a suicidal running between the wickets. He could score 17 off 10.

Najibullah Zadran then came out to bat at No.5 for Afghanistan after Nabi’s dismissal but his stay at the crease remained brief as a nasty bouncer from Ihsanullah rocked his jaw which caused him to get retired hurt.

Afghanistan then ran into a match-defining collapse as the hosts soon slipped to 95/9 with Shadab Khan and Ihsanullah leading Pakistan’s charge with the ball.

Azmatullah Omarzai, who came out to bat as Najibullah’s concussion replacement added 21 vital runs with the bat before Zaman Khan removed him in the 19th over to seal a dominant victory for Pakistan in the third T20I.

Skipper Shadab and Ihsanullah led the bowling attack for Pakistan with three wickets each, while Mohammad Wasim Jr, Zaman and Imad Wasim struck out a batter each.

Put into bat first, Pakistan batters put on an all-round performance to pile a commendable total on the scoreboard with young Saim leading the way with a gritty 49-run knock.

Earlier, the green shirts were once again off to a dismal start to their innings as wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Haris (1) perished cheaply in the second over with just one run on the board.

Promoted to bat at number three, Tayyab Tahir, joined Saim in the middle and launched a brief counterattack on the Afghan bowlers.

The right-handed batter was looking to dominate the bowlers, having smashed two boundaries early on, but failed to stretch his knock as he fell after scoring 10 off nine in the fourth over.

Abdullah Shafique, who was going through a rough patch in T20Is, came out roaring in the third T20I as he scored a brisk 13-ball 23 before Rashid Khan castled him in the eighth over. He smashed a boundary and two sixes amid his brief knock.

Following Shafique’s dismissal, Iftikhar Ahmed joined Saim in the middle and stitched a vital partnership for the fourth wicket.

The pair added 45 runs amid their important partnership and took Pakistan past the 100-run mark in the 12th over with Saim closing in on his maiden half-century.

The young left-handed batter, however, came just one run short of his maiden fifty as Mujeeb Ur Rahman took a blinder off Karim Janat’s bowling to cease Saim’s brilliant knock. Saim top-scored for Pakistan with 49 off 40 deliveries, laced up with four boundaries and two sixes.

Pakistan then endured another major setback in the next over as in-form all-rounder Imad Wasim failed to score big and fell victim to Mujeeb after scoring a quick seven-ball 13.

With half of the side back in the pavilion, skipper Shadab Khan joined Iftikhar in the middle and scripted a crucial sixth-wicket partnership; adding 38 runs in just 21 deliveries before the latter perished in the 19th over.

Iftikhar remained the notable run-getter for Pakistan with 31 off 25 balls and hit two sixes.

Meanwhile, Shadab, who was hanging in there for Pakistan had a bizarre end to his gritty knock as he hit wickets with his bat after a slow ball by Fareed Ahmed deceived him completely. He scored 28 off 17 balls and smashed five boundaries.

Some vital contributions by Mohammad Wasim Jr (9) and Mohammad Nawaz (5) in the last over bolstered Pakistan to finish at 182/7.

Mujeeb led the bowling attack for Afghanistan with 2/28 while Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mohammad Nabi, Fareed and Karim struck out a batter each.