UAE Put Up 160 for 9 After Being Asked to Bat Vs Afghanistan

UAE’s start was far from ideal. Aryansh Sharma departed in the opening over, and captain Muhammad Waseem followed shortly after. At 13 for 2, Afghanistan had made full use of the new ball.

Alishan Sharafu and Sohaib Khan rebuilt with calm heads. Sharafu’s 40 came with smart placement and two clean hits over the ropes. But it was Sohaib who carried the innings. His 68 off 48 balls mixed control with intent. Six fours. Four sixes. For a while, 175 looked possible. Then the squeeze arrived.

Omarzai Turns the Tide Late

Azmatullah Omarzai changed the tempo of the innings. He removed Sharafu just as the partnership was stretching. Then he struck twice in quick succession in the middle overs. Figures of 4 for 15 from four overs tell their own story.

Rashid Khan added to the slide when Muhammad Arfan hit the wicket at a crucial stage. UAE stumbled from 114 for 3 to 121 for 6. You could sense the frustration in the dugout. The finish never quite came together.

Late run-outs in the final overs summed it up. UAE closed on 160 for 9. The total is competitive. But with Afghanistan strong in the chase and win probability heavily tilted, the total feels slightly under par.

The break comes with the game delicately poised, though Afghanistan will believe they have already done half the job. Watch UAE vs AFG live on tapmad.