Salman Agha and Haris Rauf Lead Pakistan to Convincing Victory Over Afghanistan in Tri-Series Opener
At Sharjah Cricket Stadium on August 29, 2025, the first game of the T20I tri-series was very exciting. Pakistan beat Afghanistan by 39 runs, showing that they were tough and powerful. Pakistan’s comeback from 83/4 to a strong 182/7 was led by captain Salman Ali Agha’s unbeaten 53 off 36 balls. Haris Rauf’s 4/31 destroyed Afghanistan’s chase, limiting them to 143 in 19.5 overs. This game is very important for getting ready for the Asia Cup 2025 because it shows both teams’ skills and weaknesses.
Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat, but they were put under a lot of pressure when Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman were out early. Back-to-back sixes off of Rashid Khan in Agha’s aggressive knock, along with a 50-run stand with Mohammad Nawaz (21 off 11), changed the game around. Faheem Ashraf’s appearance of 14 off 5 balls was the icing on the cake. The bowlers for Afghanistan, led by Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who each took one wicket, kept things close at first but gave up 99 runs in the last 9 overs.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 38 off 27 balls got Afghanistan off to a great start in their chase, putting them at 92/2. But then there was a terrible breakdown. From 92/2 to 97/7, they lost five wickets for just four runs in 17 balls. Even though Rashid Khan hit a powerful 39 off 16 balls, Rauf’s double-wicket maiden and Sufiyan Muqeem’s two wickets sealed the deal.
Unique Insights: Agha’s smart batting under pressure shows that Pakistan is ready for the Asia Cup, and Rauf’s time off after an illness could make him a game-changer. Afghanistan’s middle-order instability shows a weakness against speed, which is a lesson for their approach that relies on spin.
In India, 400 million people watch cricket every year (BCCI, 2025), so this match makes South Asian rivals even more exciting. Like India’s own tri-series past, Sharjah’s neutral venue draws expats.
According to the ICC, Pakistan’s T20I bowling economy comes third in the world (6.8 runs per over in 2025), and Afghanistan’s spin duo (Mujeeb and Rashid) take an average of 18 wickets per series.
Cricket fans, this sets an intense tone for the series. Follow webtechneeq.com/news/ for more updates!
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