Afghanistan (169/5) defeat Pakistan (151/9) by 18 runs in Match 4 of the UAE Tri-Series 2025

[Cricket Warrior]

Saim is bowling and Haris rauf is hitting sixes ajeeb team ban Gai he

 

[RyanRyan10]

But you get my point , that's enough

You must be distributing sweets

 

[Aqib_mustafa]

I think after asia cup pakistan needs to do a clear out and try some new bowlers in pace department recycling same rubbish over and over again also likes of fakhar need to go m haris has been a huge disappointment along with others

They already have abrar wasim jnr salman mirza just play them you will be alright

 

[Savak]

In terms of talent I'd still say we are better but our players are part of an extremely corrupt and flawed system so I don't blame them entirely

How can we be better? Afghan players play in all the top T-20 leagues in the world. They have the better spinners and they have closed the gap as far as fast bowling is concerned as well. It is a myth that Pakistan has top white ball talent. We are still playing the players from 2016-17 CT trophy and have not really discovered any new talent for a while.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Salman Ali Agha at the post-match presentation:

"I think 170 was chaseable. The bowlers did well, but we lost too many wickets in the middle overs. At 60 for two after eight, we were in a good position but lost our way. Against quality spinners, if you give them a sniff, they’ll take it. We still lost by only 18 runs — with better batting in the middle, it could’ve been a different story."

 

[Devadwal]

You must be distributing sweets

Yes, you are right because today there was a party at my home to celebrate my nephew's birthday.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

This is where the role of the selectors becomes vital i.e. how to assess whether certain players are only good effective for domestic cricket but are not good enough for international cricket or are past their sell date in international cricket.

Yes, but my point is that dearth of talent is so serious that we don't even have young bowlers breaking out of PSL anymore. In previous years there were always 2-3 breakout stars every season.

 

[Aqib_mustafa]

How can we be better? Afghan players play in all the top T-20 leagues in the world. They have the better spinners and they have closed the gap as far as fast bowling is concerned as well. It is a myth that Pakistan has top white ball talent. We are still playing the players from 2016-17 CT trophy and have not really discovered any new talent for a while.

What are you even talking about where did abrar sufiyan wasim jnr salman mirza came from india?

 

[RyanRyan10]

Yes, but my point is that dearth of talent is so serious that we don't even have young bowlers breaking out of PSL anymore. In previous years there were always 2-3 breakout stars every season.

Ali Raza?

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Didn’t say anything about why Haris tried to hack it. Shot was on, it was a rubbish half tracker but he is too rubbish to execute even that shot.

That’s why he is a gone case.

If we are encouraging players to play with intent we should be criticizing them when they get out like this coming out to bat when the team in 5 down with 100+ to get at 11+ RPO.

Haris should not be batting in this position. He should be batting in the Top 4. I think he can go even harder than Saim or Farhan when he's on-song. But there is too much shifting and shuffling going on and he is the only one who seems to be affected.

 

[stani_pak]

Good fight by Haris Rauf with the bat, but at the end Afghan where the better team and deserved to win, I like the aggressive approach by Pak, but need to learn how to play according to the match situation, no need to try to swing at everything, after all we where chasing 170, now 225. I hope the coaching staff and team, can try to make the players better understand playing according to the match situation.

 

[Ahmed216]

How can we be better? Afghan players play in all the top T-20 leagues in the world. They have the better spinners and they have closed the gap as far as fast bowling is concerned as well. It is a myth that Pakistan has top white ball talent. We are still playing the players from 2016-17 CT trophy and have not really discovered any new talent for a while.

Saim Ayub Babar Rizwan and Hasan Nawaz are better batting talents than anyone in Afgh side.

Shaheen Hasan Ali Rauf are better than all their fast bowlers.

Abrar is a decent spinner.

But they'll underperform because they're part of a deluded and corrupt system where expectations from them are unrealistic and where some of them are made scapegoats for overall incompetence.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Ali Raza?

Good prospect but I don't think he's ready for international cricket just yet

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Had Pakistan batted with some brains they could have easily chased this total down. Lack of application from Fakhar was really disappointing to see. Salman too was incredibly lazy...not sure what was going through his mind on that run.

 

[Usman Chadda]

If we are encouraging players to play with intent we should be criticizing them when they get out like this coming out to bat when the team in 5 down with 100+ to get at 11+ RPO.

Haris should not be batting in this position. He should be batting in the Top 4. I think he can go even harder than Saim or Farhan when he's on-song. But there is too much shifting and shuffling going on and he is the only one who seems to be affected.

I will never say WHY did Haris play that shot as it was definitely on and he had the right idea to go for it.

But these are balls he should be putting away regardless of where he bats.

Agreed, Fakhar should drop down to 4 and push Haris to 3. He is a walking wicket anyway.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Afghanistan clinched a thrilling 18-run win over Pakistan in the fourth T20I of the tri-series held at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday evening. The result marked Pakistan’s first loss of the tournament, following back-to-back wins in their opening fixtures.

After electing to bat, Afghanistan suffered an early setback as Rahmanullah Gurbaz departed for 8 (10 balls, 1 six), courtesy of a sharp catch by Hasan Nawaz off Saim Ayub’s bowling. However, the innings was soon stabilized by a commanding 113-run partnership between Ibrahim Zadran (65 off 45, 8 fours, 1 six) and Sediqullah Atal (64 off 45, 3 fours, 3 sixes). Atal was eventually undone by Faheem Ashraf’s clever slower delivery in the 16th over.

Faheem continued to wreak havoc, removing Azmatullah Omarzai (4) and Zadran within three balls in the 18th over. Rashid Khan added a final flourish with a six in the last over, guiding Afghanistan to a competitive 169-5 in their allotted 20 overs. Faheem Ashraf was the standout bowler for Pakistan, finishing with impressive figures of 4-27 from his four overs.

In response, Pakistan’s chase faltered early. Fazalhaq Farooqi struck twice in quick succession, dismissing Saim Ayub for a duck and Sahibzada Farhan (18 off 13, 1 four, 2 sixes), leaving Pakistan reeling at 29-2. Fakhar Zaman (25 off 18) and captain Salman Ali Agha (20 off 15) attempted to rebuild, taking the score to 52-2 by the end of the powerplay. But wickets continued to tumble—Nabi removed Fakhar in the eighth over, and Agha was run out in the ninth, with Pakistan struggling at 67-4.

Further blows came with the dismissals of Hasan Nawaz (9) and Mohammad Haris (1) in the 11th and 12th overs, stalling any momentum in the chase. A spirited unbeaten 40-run stand for the final wicket, featuring Haris Rauf’s career-best 34* (including four sixes), offered late resistance but wasn’t enough as Pakistan closed their innings at 151-9.

Afghanistan’s bowling unit delivered a collective effort: Mohammad Nabi (2-20), Rashid Khan (2-30), and Noor Ahmad (2-20) shared six wickets, while Farooqi impressed with figures of 2-21 from three overs.

Pakistan will now face UAE in their final group-stage match on Thursday, 4 September at Sharjah. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM local time.

 

[psyoptica]

Good fight by Haris Rauf with the bat, but at the end Afghan where the better team and deserved to win, I like the aggressive approach by Pak, but need to learn how to play according to the match situation, no need to try to swing at everything, after all we where chasing 170, now 225. I hope the coaching staff and team, can try to make the players better understand playing according to the match situation.

Been hearing this since 2003

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Faheem Ashraf in a post match press conference:

Reporter: You've taken three wickets after a long time, since 2021. And your best bowling was in 2018. Do you think this is your best bowling?

Fahim Ashraf: Thank you. First of all, my effort is to play according to the team's requirements. If I took so many wickets after a long time today, I don't think I should do anything for myself personally. My effort is always to do what the team wants from me. Whether I take wickets or not, that doesn't matter. My only goal is to play for my team and contribute something to the team's victory.

Reporter: You are perhaps the most underrated player in this Pakistan team, who performs in every format. But sometimes people accuse you of political influence, or say other things. However, if we look at your stats, you are consistently playing a role in both batting and bowling. Does this unnecessary criticism stay in the back of your mind, or do you ignore it and move on?

Fahim Ashraf: See, those who criticize are also our own people. It's the same at home; not everyone is happy with you. You get along with some siblings, and you don't with others. It's the same in Pakistan. Not everyone will like you. If you're talking about politics, that's everyone's own affair. It's a family matter. I can't talk about that. My job is to be a sportsman. My job is to come to the ground, play, and perform. If I don't perform and there's criticism, I shouldn't take it personally. I don't. If someone does, that's their choice. But I believe Pakistan is our own, a family. If we consider Pakistan our own, we shouldn't be bothered by anyone.

Reporter: What do you think is the biggest reason for the defeat?

Fahim Ashraf: There isn't one big reason. It's just that they played well. If we had played well, like we were playing before, the result would have been different. Today, they played well.

Reporter: What do you think? In which department is the Pakistan team lacking? Fielding, batting, or bowling? Because it was seen that your fielding was not good. Where were you weak?

Fahim Ashraf: Look, these were small patches that the management can talk about. It's not my job. Our job is to follow the plan given to us and meet the team's requirements. The team management must have seen better if we made too many mistakes. But I think our team played well, though not as well as we have been playing in the past.

Reporter: Today, you were chasing for the first time. You had defended the total twice before. What do you think went wrong today? Where do you need to improve, especially since a big tournament is coming up?

Fahim Ashraf: Yes, exactly. As you said, we were chasing. Our plan was to chase. A small thing is that we couldn't build a partnership. If we had built a partnership, the result of the match would have been different.

Reporter: What do you think about Salman's run out?

Fahim Ashraf: That was also a turning point. But if you look at the entire innings, from top to bottom, we didn't build the big partnership that's needed.

Reporter: In this series, teams that chase aren't winning. So, do you think this format and this pitch are favorable for the team that bats first and wins the match?

Fahim Ashraf: Look, in T20, every person has their own method. We are sportsmen. Our method is our own. I think whether you are chasing or batting first, it is very important to have a partnership. When you have a partnership, the whole scenario of the game changes.

Reporter: Let's ask about Mohammad Haris. His consistent performance is in front of you. He is not performing. Is he being treated unfairly? Is his real position as an opener?

Fahim Ashraf: Look, I can't say that anyone is being treated unfairly, and no one should say that. This is a team plan. If the team has a plan, they are playing him according to that plan. It's not like someone is being treated unfairly or someone is being preferred. It's the team's plan. The team considers all the plans and plays everyone accordingly.

Reporter: When you were chasing today, did you feel anything about the team?

Fahim Ashraf: See, during the match, you only remember the match—what score we need or how many balls are left. Sitting here, we remember our family, too. But during the match, you don't even remember your family, so why would you talk about our colleagues? During the match, the only thought is that Pakistan has to win, and how we can make Pakistan win. This is what you remember during the match.

Reporter: We saw that after the top order got out, Haris made some runs at the end to improve the average. What do you think was the turning point where this match could have been won, if one of you had stayed at the crease?

Fahim Ashraf: It's mainly the same thing—we needed a partnership. As we've been playing throughout, one of our players plays a long innings and scores a lot, and the whole team plays around them. We didn't build a partnership. And as the other reporter mentioned, Agha Salman's run-out was also a turning point. But we only made small partnerships throughout the innings. Today, we didn't make a big partnership, which could have changed the result in our favor.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Saw the highlights i have to say Afghanistan players are so elegant to watch. Great body alignment when they play big shots. This sediq dude looks so classy and easy on the eye. None of them looked like slogging. The trigger movements are something you associate with top class international players. HOw the heck did they acquire with no real domestic set up.

 

[shamaan]

They should have chased this score down.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Pakistan vs Afghanistan spinners in this series

156 balls 154 runs Strike rate 98.71 65 dot balls 42% dot balls.

 

[stani_pak]

Been hearing this since 2003

Well it seems to be a long standing problem with Pak cricket not playing according to the match situation and I am sure this issue was even before 2003.

 

[stani_pak]

They should have chased this score down.

key word should have....but its PAK cricket...this is same team that could not chase 120 vs India in 2024 world cup

 

[topspin]

And it’s unbelievable how these clowns online never mention this, yet blame him for everything wrong with our cricket. In the same breath, they claim to care so much about Test cricket.

I knew you would the fit the profile of a Misbah fan. I know one when I see one.

But here’s the real issue: did the management ever even try giving Babar and Rizwan a chance in this so-called new template?

Another case of a Misbah fan being as slow as Misbah's batting. Babar and Rizwan are now tried and tested failures (in case you didn't realise)

Misbah was the one who came up with this opening pair in T20Is, so yes he's played a major role in Pakistan's decline in white ball cricket.

The question I have for you is would you be as desperate to see the return of RizBar if they weren't Misbah's preference?

 

[Farabi]

I repeat myself for the umpteenth time.

Pakistan cricket is nothing without in form Babar, Rizwan and Shaheen in white ball cricket.

They have been at the heart of 90% of the white ball matches Pakistan have won in the last 5 years.

When they play well, Pakistan are a formidable side. When they don’t play well or are not in the team, Pakistan are weak.

The job of a coaching staff is to get the best out of these three players. You cannot hide from the reality.

These agendas will not work with these crap players and the sooner Hesson sees this, the better. Otherwise, he will die on this hill.

That’s your opinion, but it misses the nuance.

In ODIs and Tests, Pakistan absolutely needs Rizwan and Babar — they remain central to the team’s stability and long-term success.

But in T20 cricket, their contributions have not just failed to help Pakistan, they’ve actively held the team back with slow, outdated innings and a conservative mindset that no longer suits the modern T20 game.

It’s time for Pakistan cricket to evolve. Hessom is steering the T20 side in the right direction, and the team’s upward trajectory since moving on from the duo speaks for itself.

 

[Farabi]

Where are the posters who mocked me when i said haris and fakhar dont deserve a place.

Haris by no means is an upgrade over rizwan.

I am here. Fakhar and Haris are integral to Pakistani t20 side. These failures mean nothing as we build towards the brand of cricket Pakistan must play to compete.

 

[heddie19]

I am here. Fakhar and Haris are integral to Pakistani t20 side. These failures mean nothing as we build towards the brand of cricket Pakistan must play to compete.

36 year old Fakhar is finished. Can someone remind me a single match winning knock that he played in T20is throughout his career? And Haris, oh well I wouldn't waste my energy talking about such a 3rd class batter.

 

[Golu-momin]

I am here. Fakhar and Haris are integral to Pakistani t20 side. These failures mean nothing as we build towards the brand of cricket Pakistan must play to compete.

Babar azam and rizwan club level player’s fan wants them get booted so their ghante ka king and legwan can comeback

 

[Caved12]

36 year old Fakhar is finished. Can someone remind me a single match winning knock that he played in T20is throughout his career? And Haris, oh well I wouldn't waste my energy talking about such a 3rd class batter.

I really like Fakhar and still want to squeeze him into my XI, even if it means dropping a bowler/all rounder and just hoping he’ll click in a big game. But to have a balanced team, he has to take a back seat. You’re right, he’s getting older, and honestly, I can’t even remember the last time he played a proper match winning knock in T20Is. Gotta keep things fair and give chances to the ones who actually deserve it.

 

[cricketAXEpert]

Haris is useless lower order needs to bat at 3

Haris is useless period, changing his spot is not going to make him better. He fails 9 out of 10 times. Rubbish player who sometimes scores by fluke. We can't even beat Afghanistan easily now, we are not convincing against a club level UAE . We have no chance against top tier teams

 

[Bhaijaan]

Afghanistan is just a superior cricket team and a nation compared to Pakistan. Had CIA-ISI nexus not ruined that nation with terrorism, they would be ahead economically too. A great resilient civilization.

 

[cricketAXEpert]

Ramiz & Aamir are extremely irritating ... 73/1 halfway

Especially Aamir he sounds like a donkey with a mic, very unpleasant voice.

 

[Sachin fan]

Babar azam and rizwan club level player’s fan wants them get booted so their ghante ka king and legwan can comeback

Come on Fakhar has played 100 T20 matches and is clearly worse than Rizbar and has worse dot ball and boundary %.

It seems ridiculous when you hate Rizbar for playing slow and then support a batsman who is even slower in t20s.

 

[Sachin fan]

I am here. Fakhar and Haris are integral to Pakistani t20 side. These failures mean nothing as we build towards the brand of cricket Pakistan must play to compete.

Fakhar has played 100 T20 matches and has a worse dot ball and boundary % than both Rizbar.

If you are trying to play an agressive brand of cricket, Fakhar is the opposite.

From the other thread - Fakhar's dot ball vs boundary %


IN they year 2025 - dot ball 42% boundary percentage 12%
In the year 2024 - 35% boundary percentage 21%
In the year 2023 - 38% boundary percentage 12%
In the year 2022 - 41% boundary percentage 12%
In the year 2021 - 38% boundary percentage 15%
In the year 2020 - 43% boundary percentage 7%

It's incredibly funny to me that you talk about attacking brand and hate Rizbar for low strike rate and dot balls and then support a batsman who is way worse.

 

[heddie19]

Fakhar has played 100 T20 matches and has a worse dot ball and boundary % than both Rizbar.

If you are trying to play an agressive brand of cricket, Fakhar is the opposite.

From the other thread - Fakhar's dot ball vs boundary %


IN they year 2025 - dot ball 42% boundary percentage 12%
In the year 2024 - 35% boundary percentage 21%
In the year 2023 - 38% boundary percentage 12%
In the year 2022 - 41% boundary percentage 12%
In the year 2021 - 38% boundary percentage 15%
In the year 2020 - 43% boundary percentage 7%

It's incredibly funny to me that you talk about attacking brand and hate Rizbar for low strike rate and dot balls and then support a batsman who is way worse.

point to be noted my lord.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Fakhar has played 100 T20 matches and has a worse dot ball and boundary % than both Rizbar.

If you are trying to play an agressive brand of cricket, Fakhar is the opposite.

From the other thread - Fakhar's dot ball vs boundary %


IN they year 2025 - dot ball 42% boundary percentage 12%
In the year 2024 - 35% boundary percentage 21%
In the year 2023 - 38% boundary percentage 12%
In the year 2022 - 41% boundary percentage 12%
In the year 2021 - 38% boundary percentage 15%
In the year 2020 - 43% boundary percentage 7%

It's incredibly funny to me that you talk about attacking brand and hate Rizbar for low strike rate and dot balls and then support a batsman who is way worse.

I think Fakhar is judged based on his peak ability in the ODIs. That happens only in ODIs. Not in T20s where he cannot take a few balls before finding his groove. Format mix up. His T20 strike rate in power play is 123 in the year 2025. Played 78 balls scored 96 runs. If you look at this middle overs trike rate for this year, that is 53 balls 56 runs. Strike rate of 105.66. Once again 40% dot balls in the middle overs. This will impact the non striker too.