Watch: Mohammad Nabi deposited a slot ball over the long-off boundary to claim a historic win for Afghanistan over Pakistan in the first of the three-match T20I series in Sharjah yesterday (March 24).

Pakistan had put out a young and inexperienced team with several debutants who had impressed in the recently concluded PSL. They chose to bat after winning the toss and never got going. Neither a single batter nor a single partnership crossed 20, as they saw themselves get restricted to 92-9 off their 20 overs.

All the Afghan bowlers got their names on the wickets tally, with Mujeeb Ur Rahman being the pick of the lot, picking two wickets for nine runs from his quota of four overs. Mohammad Nabi and Fazalhaq Farooqi picked two wickets each as well, while Rashid Khan, Naveen ul Haq, and Azmatullah Omarzai got one wicket each.

In reply, Nabi anchored the chase from No.4. He came into bat in the fifth over, arresting a mini collapse as Afghanistan went from 23-0 to 27-3. The target of 93 made it easier for him as he didn’t have to take any undue risks. Just making sure that he stays till the end would have been enough and that is exactly what he did.

In the fifth ball of the 18th over, with just one needed off 14 deliveries, Nabi nonchalantly lofted a full ball by the debutant Ihsanullah over long-off, handing Afghanistan their very first victory over Pakistan in international cricket in their eighth attempt.

Watch: The Mohammad Nabi six that sealed Afghanistan’s victory over Pakistan

 

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