Pakistan clinched the tri-nation T20 series title in Sharjah with a commanding 75-run victory over Afghanistan, defending a modest total of just 141 runs. The low-scoring final, played on Saturday night, turned into a showcase for all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz, whose match-winning spell included a rare hat-trick.
Batting first, Pakistan posted 8-141, with Fakhar Zaman top-scoring on 27 from 26 balls. Afghanistan’s captain Rashid Khan was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3-38.
In reply, Afghanistan’s chase unraveled quickly. Nawaz, who had earlier contributed 25 runs, struck twice at the end of the sixth over, removing Darwish Rasooli and Azmatullah Omarzai. He completed his hat-trick with the first ball of the eighth over, stumping Ibrahim Zadran after a TV review confirmed the dismissal.
The left-arm spinner wasn’t done. He trapped Karim Janat lbw in the same over for his fourth wicket, then claimed his fifth by having Rashid Khan caught in the 13th over. Nawaz finished with career-best T20I figures of 5-19 from four overs his first time taking more than three wickets in an international T20, and the fifth-best bowling performance by a Pakistani in the format.
Afghanistan were bowled out for just 66 in 15.5 overs, with Rashid Khan (17) and opener Sediqullah Atal (13) the only batters to reach double figures. Spinners Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem chipped in with two wickets each to seal Pakistan’s emphatic win.
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