
Watch: Seventeen-year-old Ayaan Afzal Khan dismissed Mitchell Santner and Dane Cleaver with consecutive balls to help the UAE seal a historic win against New Zealand.
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New Zealand won the first T20I of the three-match series by 19 runs. In the second, the UAE bowled first and their teenage left-arm spinner Ayaan Afzal Khan came on to bowl in the second over.
Last year against the Netherlands at Geelong, Ayaan – at 16 years 335 days – became the youngest to play at the ICC T20 Men’s World Cup. He remains the only player who has featured in the tournament before turning 17.
In Dubai, Tim Seifert lofted his fifth ball for six, but was bowled by Muhammad Jawadullah at the other end. UAE captain Muhammad Waseem replaced Ayaan with Ali Naseer. After four overs, New Zealand’s score stood at 27-1.
Waseem then switched ends for Ayaan. Promoted to No.3, the left-handed Mitchell Santner played the first ball of the over back to Ayaan. He went to cut the second delivery against the turn, but the ball – too full for the shot – spun and snuck below the bat to hit the stumps.
The next ball was shorter, but the new batter, right-handed Dane Cleaver, didn’t account for the low bounce on the ball that had got Santner. Yet again, the ball kept low and hit off stump.
Ayaan had Chad Bowes – whose run-a-ball 21 was one of the three double-digit scores for New Zealand – stumped in his next over to leave the tourists reeling at 41-4. He finished with 3-20 from his four overs, and was named Player of the Match.
Mark Chapman (63 in 46 balls) and Jimmy Neesham (21 in 17) took New Zealand to 142-8 as Jawadullah finished with 2-16. Waseem (55 in 29 balls), Vriitya Aravind (25 in 21), and Asif Khan (48 not out in 29) then helped the UAE to beat New Zealand for the first time.
Watch Ayaan Afzal Khan’s double strike that helped the UAE beat New Zealand:
Two in Two! 🔥🔥🔥
Aayan Afzal Khan MAGIC at the Dubai International Stadium!!
Santner and Cleaver bowled off consecutive balls – 5th over of the NZ innings. #UAEvNZ pic.twitter.com/kB7zGv75rP— UAE Cricket Official (@EmiratesCricket) August 19, 2023