How Afghanistan’s 92/2 Start Ended in Defeat

The opening tri series Pak vs Afg clash in Sharjah turned into a night to forget for Afghanistan, as they crumbled under pressure after a bright start. Chasing 183, the Afghan batters looked comfortable at 92 for 2 before the innings unraveled in dramatic fashion.

What followed was an astonishing Afghanistan collapse. Five wickets fell on a total of four runs in only 17 deliveries, and the run-chase was in ruins. The fans could not believe their eyes when Haris Rauf delivered a scorching spell to sideline Afghan batters with Sufiyan Muqeem and Shaheen Afridi by his side. From a strong position, Afghanistan slipped to 97 for 7, losing all momentum in the process.

Despite Rashid Khan’s quickfire 39 off 16 balls, the recovery never came. Pakistan’s bowlers remained relentless, and Afghanistan were bowled out for 143 in 19.5 overs. The result gave Pakistan a 39-run win in the first Pak vs Afg match of the tournament and a perfect start to their campaign.

This failure has already become the subject matter of the tri-series, with concern over whether the middle order of Afghanistan is under strain. Pakistan, however, walked out of Sharjah with their confidence sky high and their bowling attack again demonstrating its match-winning capability.