Afghanistan Edges UAE in Thrilling Finish
In a nail-biting match on September 5, 2025, Afghanistan narrowly defeated the United Arab Emirates by just four runs in the sixth game of the UAE Tri-Series, held in Sharjah. This victory marked Afghanistan’s third consecutive win, showing a strong recovery after their earlier loss to Pakistan.
Batting first, Afghanistan scored 170 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. The innings was highlighted by captain Ibrahim Zadran, who played a dynamic innings of 48 runs off 35 balls, hitting three fours and three sixes. His outstanding performance earned him the Player of the Match title.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz supported the innings with a solid 40 runs. Karim Janat added excitement with a rapid 28 runs off just 14 balls, while Gulbadin Naib (20 not out) and Azmatullah Omarzai (14 not out) helped push the score past 170.
Asif Khan’s Brave Attempt Falls Short
In response, UAE relied on their seasoned batsmen, with skipper Muhammad Waseem leading the charge. He scored 44 runs off 29 balls before his exit slowed down their chase. The innings turned on Asif Khan, who almost pulled off an incredible comeback.
With 65 runs needed from the last 46 balls, Asif launched an aggressive assault, scoring 40 runs off 28 balls with four boundaries and two sixes. With only 14 runs required in the final over, the match hung in the balance.
However, Afghanistan kept their composure. Fareed Ahmad took the crucial wicket of Asif on the last ball, securing a thrilling victory as UAE finished with 166 runs for 5 wickets.
Match Summary
Afghanistan: 170/4 in 20 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 48, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 40; Haider Ali 2/23, Simranheet Singh 1/24)
UAE: 166/5 in 20 overs (Muhammad Waseem 44, Asif Khan 40; Noor Ahmad 1/23, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 1/27)
Result: Afghanistan won by 4 runs.
