Watch: The UAE defeated Afghanistan in the second T20I played between the two sides at Sharjah on December 31 (Sunday), only the second time in the last seven years they have achieved the feat.
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After winning the first T20I, Afghanistan struggled against the No.17-ranked UAE in the second clash, going down by 11 runs. Opting to bat first, the hosts were led by a blistering 32-ball 53 by skipper Muhammad Waseem, who became the only cricketer in the world to hit 100 international sixes in a calendar year during his knock that contained three maximums.
Waseem and Aryan Lakra added 72 for the first wicket in 51 deliveries, with Lakra also recording a half-century in 47 balls. Waseem’s departure, though, started a collapse, with none of the other batters able to cross 15.
Lakra held fort at the other end even as wickets tumbled, leading the UAE to a competitive 166-7, helped by 12 extras from the Afghanistan bowlers without Rashid Khan or Mujeeb ur Rahman.
In reply, Afghanistan raced away to 47 in 5.2 overs before Rahmanullah Gurbaz departed for 21. Gurbaz, who had scored a hundred in the first T20I, struggled for momentum in the second game, striking at 124 for his 21 runs.
Afghanistan lost three quick wickets before Mohammad Nabi played a counterattacking innings, scoring 47 in 27 deliveries, with two sixes and five fours to keep Afghanistan in the hunt.
The visitors, who were 98-3 at one point, lost their next six wickets for 30 runs with Muhammad Jawad Ullah wrapping up the middle order after Ali Naseer had troubled the top-order. The duo returned with four-fors each and brought UAE close to a win.
With 39 runs needed from the last 12 balls and with one wicket in hand, Nabi took on Junaid Siddique, hitting him for four successive boundaries, including a six on the second ball of the 19th over. He scored 19 runs in that over, leaving 20 runs to get from the last six balls. Despite a six from Nabi in the last over, it was too many to get and he was the last batter dismissed, giving UAE a memorable win.
The UAE had also defeated Afghanistan in a T20I last year when they chased down Afghanistan’s 138 with nine wickets to spare.
