In a display of cricketing prowess, Rahmanullah Gurbaz authored an outstanding innings to guide Afghanistan to a commanding victory over the United Arab Emirates by a margin of 72 runs in the inaugural match of their three-game T20I series at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Gurbaz’s scintillating performance under the lights on a Friday evening highlighted the burgeoning strength of Afghanistan’s batting lineup.
The 22-year-old opener showcased his batting talents right from the outset, as Afghanistan’s decision to bat first appeared to intimidate the UAE bowlers. While the early loss of his opening partner Hazratullah Zazai, who managed a patient 13 runs off 16 balls, might have been a setback for other teams, Gurbaz stood firm and prevented the Afghan scoring rate from faltering.
As Player of the Match, Gurbaz capitalized on the favorable batting conditions, adopting an aggressive approach that yielded seven boundaries and an equal number of sixes. His attack left the UAE bowlers scrambling for answers. The defining moment of Gurbaz’s innings arrived in the 17th over, where on the fourth delivery he hammered Junaid Siddique for a six to bring up his century in grandeur—a striking display of power and finesse.
The stand-in Afghan captain, Ibrahim Zadran, was not merely an onlooker during Gurbaz’s exemplary innings but contributed a valuable half-century himself. The duo put together a second-wicket partnership totaling 137 runs, with Zadran’s 50 coming at a swift strike rate of 137.20, including four fours and two sixes.
Adding to the batting fireworks, emerging allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai blasted a quickfire 19 not out from just eight balls. His cameo, which came at an astonishing strike rate of 237.50, propelled Afghanistan past the 200-run threshold, setting a daunting target of 204 runs for UAE.
During the chase, the home side found the diversified and skillful Afghan bowling attack too much to handle, with only wicketkeeper-batsman Vriitya Aravind offering any substantial resistance with an unbeaten 70 from 64 balls. The rest of the UAE batting lineup crumbled under pressure, with no other player making a significant contribution, and the team mustering a mere 131 for 4 wickets after their allotted 20 overs.
The bowling attack for Afghanistan was led by the supreme efforts of Fazalhaq Farooqi (2/19) and Naveen-ul-Haq (1/25), who suffocated the UAE’s batsmen with their meticulous lines and lengths.
This decisive win for Afghanistan, characterized by Gurbaz’s spellbinding knock and the collective effort of the bowlers, sends an emphatic message about their intent in the series. The action will reconvene at the same venue on Sunday for the second match of the series, where UAE would hope to mount a stronger challenge and Afghanistan would aim to seal the series with yet another powerful performance.
The Sharjah crowd was treated to a cricketing masterclass from the Afghan side, signaling their rising prominence in the world of T20 internationals. With the stage set for the next encounter, spectators and cricket aficionados alike would eagerly anticipate if the rhythm and dominance of the Afghan team can be sustained or if the UAE will manage to devise a counter-strategy to level the playing field.
