Pakistan endured its first setback in the ongoing tri-nation T20 series, losing by 18 runs to Afghanistan at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Chasing 170, Pakistan could only manage 151/9, despite a decent start to the innings.
Captain Salman Ali Agha Reflects on Loss
At the post-match presentation, Pakistan’s T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha acknowledged that the team’s downfall came from a costly middle-order collapse.
“In my opinion, 170 was a chaseable score. The bowlers did a good job, but we lost too many wickets in the middle overs, which cost us the game,” Salman Ali Agha said.
Credit to Afghanistan’s Spin Attack
The skipper acknowledged the impact of Afghanistan’s spinners, who tightened the screws during the middle phase and shifted the momentum.
“Against quality spinners, even the slightest mistake can be costly. We gave them chances, and they capitalized. That period changed the whole game,” he explained.
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Pakistan’s Missed Chances in the Chase
Pakistan started their chase with promise, but a middle-order slump shattered their rhythm. A late cameo from Haris Rauf, who blasted an unbeaten 34 off 16 balls, was not enough to rescue the innings.
Pakistan’s Batting Contributions:
- Haris Rauf: 34* (16 balls)
- Fakhar Zaman: 25 runs
- Salman Ali Agha (captain): 20 runs
- Sahibzada Farhan: 18 runs
Other batters failed to build on their starts, with Afghanistan’s disciplined bowling unit-particularly the spinners-keeping Pakistan under constant pressure.
“It Could Have Been a Different Story”
Despite the defeat, Salman Ali Agha remained optimistic, stressing that the margin of defeat highlighted how small improvements could change outcomes.
“We still lost by only 18 runs. With stronger batting in the middle overs, the story could have been very different,” he concluded.
