Rashid Khan Laments Lost Momentum in Defeat Against Pakistan

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan expressed frustration after his side’s strong start against Pakistan fizzled out, leading to a 39-run loss in the tri-series opener at Sharjah. While the Afghans were cruising at 85/2 at the halfway mark, their middle-over collapse derailed the chase.

Rashid admitted: “We lost so many wickets between overs 11-15, and that did not give us the momentum towards the end.”

He added that on a pitch where 190–200 would have been a top-class target, restricting the opposition to 170–175 would have put them in a strong chasing position.

Reflecting on the turning point, he said: “If we had a couple of good overs between overs 11-16, we could have chased it. That is what T20s is about – once you lose momentum, it is tough.”

He also stressed the importance of intelligent batting under pressure: rotating the strike, taking singles, and avoiding risky shots are essential to maintain rhythm.