Dubai [UAE], January 20 (ANI): Afghanistan, led by Rashid Khan, handed the Brandon King-led West Indies a convincing 38-run defeat on the Dubai Worldwide Cricket Stadium on Monday to kick the three-match T20I sequence off with a win.
Afghanistan gained the toss and opted to bat first. Whereas the Asian aspect suffered an early jolt within the type of Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s run out on the very first ball of the match, Ibrahim Zadran (87 runs off 56 balls, together with fours and three sixes) made positive his workforce nonetheless bought a fast begin as they had been 18/1 in 2 overs.
Nonetheless, Jayden Seales handed Afghanistan one other blow as he scalped the wicket of Sediqullah Atal (2 runs off 4 balls) within the third over, decreasing Afghanistan to 19/2 in 2.2 overs.
With Afghanistan on the again foot, Darwish Rasooli (84 runs off 59 balls, together with 8 boundaries and a pair of sixes) joined Zadran and stitched a match-defining 162-run partnership off simply 106 balls to propel Afghanistan to 181/3 in 20 overs. The duo scored at over 10 runs per over within the remaining 5 overs of Afghanistan’s batting innings, scoring 53 runs.
The West Indies’ chase by no means gained traction because the Afghan bowlers maintained tight self-discipline from the outset, with Mujeeb Ur Rahman ( 2/29 in 4 overs) dismissing captain Brandon King (4 runs off 4 balls) within the very first over.
Regardless of a brisk 27 from Johnson Charles on the high, the center order crumbled towards a relentless spin assault led by Rashid Khan (2/19 in 4 overs), Mujeeb and Noor Ahmad (2/34 in 4 overs). Ziaur Rahman Sharifi was the decide of the bowlers, claiming career-best figures of three/36 as he tore by way of the decrease order. Late resistance from debutant Quentin Sampson (30 off 34 balls) and Gudakesh Motie (28 runs off 15 balls) supplied some leisure however proved inadequate towards the rising required fee. West Indies had been finally restricted to 143/9, handing Afghanistan a 1-0 lead within the three-match sequence.
Darwish Rasooli was given the ‘Participant of the Match’ award for his sensible 59-ball 84 within the first innings. Either side will now face off within the second T20I on Wednesday on the similar venue. (ANI)
