Afghanistan have been foiled of their bid for a sequence sweep in opposition to Pakistan, shedding the third and ultimate Twenty20 International by 66 runs.
Missing 5 rested frontline gamers, Pakistan lastly got here good to put up a difficult 7-182 earlier than bowling Afghanistan out for 116 with eight balls remaining.
Pakistan’s interim captain Shadab Khan and younger quick bowler Ihsanullah shared six wickets.
Shadab, with 3-13, turned the primary Pakistan males’s participant to succeed in 100 wickets in T20Is.
Ihsanullah received 3-29 together with his pacey short-pitched deliveries.
Shadab additionally offered a late flourish with the bat, smashing a 17-ball 28 after Saim Ayub missed out on his first T20I half-century by one run.
Defeat within the lifeless rubber couldn’t spoil Afghanistan’s history-making effort in successful their first match – and the sequence 2-1 – in opposition to Pakistan in any format.
“It’s a special occasion to be part of this team,” Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan stated.
“We won the series, but we have some areas to improve on. We responded well under pressure.
“We have struggled underneath stress prior to now however I’m pleased that we chased in a few video games.”
Najibullah Zadran retired hurt off the first ball he faced after he was struck on the helmet by Ihsanullah. Concussion substitute Azmatullah Omarzai made 21 before he was the last man to be dismissed.
Pakistan made only 9-92 and 6-130 in the first two T20Is but adapted well to the conditions.
Left-hander Saim batted fluently against the pace and spin of Rashid Khan, hitting two sixes and four boundaries, while Abdullah Shafique made 23 off 13 balls and finally broke his drought after failing to score in his previous four T20Is.
Iftikhar Ahmed, playing his first match in the series, made 31 off 25 balls and together with Shadab accelerated well in the death overs to help Pakistan to their best total of the series.
“We needed to complete on a excessive observe and now we have accomplished that,” Shadab said. “We wanted to play for Pakistan’s pleasure and we did it.
“The main motive of this series was to give the youngsters a chance. Hopefully, they will get confidence from these matches and it will help them in the long run.”
Afghanistan struggled to get any momentum within the chase, shedding their final seven wickets for 45 runs.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
