Pakistan set meagre 93-run target against Afghanistan in first T2OI

SHARJAH: Pakistan’s new-look side slumped to their fifth-lowest T20 total of 92-9 as Afghanistan dominated the first match in Sharjah on Friday.

Pakistan were 41-5 in the eighth over after winning the toss on a low and slow Sharjah Stadium pitch that gave assistance to Afghanistan’s three-pronged spin attack.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman took 2-9 and Mohammad Nabi finished with 2-12 while pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi claimed 2-13.

Imad Wasim top-scored with 18 while Saim Ayub (17), Tayyab Tahir (16) and skipper Shadab Khan (12) were the main run-getters.

This is the first bilateral series between the two countries with the remaining matches also in Sharjah on Sunday and Monday.

Teams:

Pakistan: Shadab Khan (captain), Mohammad Haris, Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Tayyab Tahir, Azam Khan, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Naseem Shah, Ihsanullah, Zaman Khan

Afghanistan: Rashid Khan (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq

Umpires: Ahmed Shah Pakteen (AFG) and Bismillah Jan Shinwari (AFG)

TV umpire: Akbar Ali

Match referee: Hamim Talwar (AFG)