AI Simulation, PAK vs AFG | Shaheen Afridi and Saim Ayub shine at Sharjah as Pakistan make it three in three

Yesterday at 12:11 AM

As per ChatGPT, Pakistan will beat Afghanistan by five wickets in the fourth game of the UAE T20I tri-series and continue their unbeaten streak in the tournament. While Shaheen Afridi's spell helped restrict the Afghans to a below-par score, Saim Ayub impressed with the bat once again.

‌Pitch and Weather

The surface at Sharjah might have been dry, but it did not have many demons. However, the spinners did manage to get some grip of the surface with the old ball.

The weather was hot and humid at the venue, with the recorded temperature being between 30-35 degrees Celsius.

Toss

Afghanistan won the toss and chose to bat first

Lineups

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem.

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (c), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik.

Match Report

Afghanistan had elected to bat first and started well with the bat, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz playing the aggressor and Ibrahim Zadran playing the anchoring role at the other end, and finished the powerplay on a score of 52/0. The opening partnership was looking solid until Zadran was finally dismissed in the eighth over by left-arm wrist spinner Sufiyan Muqeem on a score of 27. As soon as the stand was broken, the runs started to dry up towards and the Afghans lost the wicket of Sediqullah Atali in the 10th. With 26 runs coming in the next four overs, the Afghan score was 78/2. The struggles for the Afghans as Gurbaz was finally dismissed after top edging a well-directed bouncer by Haris Rauf to the keeper. As Gurbaz’s valiant knock of 44 off 29 came to an end, the Afghan nation was in a tricky position with two new batters at the crease. However, Azmatullah Omarzai and Darwish Rasooli scored some crucial runs in the next two overs after the dismissal to put the team in a respectable position at 115/3 at the end of 15 overs. Unfortunately, the stand between the two could not last that long as Shaheen Afridi spoiled the party with a double-wicket over as he dismissed both set batters in the 17th over. Mohammad Nabi was dismissed in the next over by Rauf, and Gulbadin Naib could not trouble the scorers as his stumps were uprooted in the 19th over. In the end, Afghanistan managed to score only 38 runs in the last five overs and ended their total on a below-par score of 153/8.

Though Afghanistan could not capitalize on their start in the first innings, they managed to get a chance in the second with Fazalhaq Farooqui dismissing opener Sahibzada Farhan in the third over. However, Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman made up for the horrible start with some crucial runs towards the end of the powerplay. At the end of six overs, the Pakistan score was 48/1. The left-handed pair continued to grow their partnership, putting the Men in Green in a commanding position at 90/1 at the halfway stage. With the two southpaws scoring runs at a brisk rate, it looked like the Green Shirts would cruise to an easy win until Rashid Khan dismissed Ayub in the 12th over as the young batter edged the ball through to the keeper on a score of 42 off 27. Fakhar was the next to go as he was caught plumb in front of an arm ball by Mujeeb ur Rahman in the next over. The struggles for Pakistan continued as Pakistan skipper Salman Agha got out cheaply after misreading a googly by Rashid, and Hasan Nawaz was deceived by a slower one by Farooqui. With this mini collapse, the game was back in the balance as Pakistan’s score was 110/5 after 15 overs and needed 43 runs off the last 30 deliveries. Though this period might have given the Afghans a chance in the game, the unbeaten cameos from Mohammad Haris and Mohammad Nawaz made sure the target was chased down with nine balls to spare. With this win Pakistan also maintained their unbeaten runs in the tri-series as well.