New Delhi, Feb 16: All-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai delivered a match-winning performance, claiming four wickets before smashing an unbeaten 40 to guide Afghanistan to a five-wicket victory over United Arab Emirates in their must-win T20 World Cup clash here on Monday.
The win opened Afghanistan’s account in the tournament and kept their slim Super Eight hopes alive in Group D. It also confirmed South Africa’s place in the next round as they occupy the top spot with six points, followed by New Zealand in second place and Afghanistan in third. UAE slipped to fourth.
Omarzai led the bowling effort with superb control of line and length, returning figures of 4 for 15 from his four overs as UAE posted 160 for 9, built around Sohaib Khan’s well-crafted 68 off 48 balls.
In reply, Afghanistan suffered early setbacks as the in-form Rahmanullah Gurbaz (0) and Gulbadin Naib (13) departed cheaply, leaving them at 41 for 2 at the end of the Powerplay.
Ibrahim Zadran steadied the innings with a composed 53 off 41 balls, striking six boundaries and a six to anchor the chase. After his dismissal, Darwish Rasooli (33) and Omarzai combined to steer Afghanistan home, reaching 162 for 5 in 19.2 overs.
The chase briefly grew tense when Zadran holed out to Muhammad Waseem off Muhammad Arfan, who also produced a peach of a delivery to remove Sediqullah Atal earlier.
With 61 required from 36 balls, Rasooli counterattacked with two fours and a six, adding 43 runs off 26 deliveries with Omarzai before being bowled by Junaid Siddique.
Needing 17 off the final two overs, Omarzai shifted gears, launching Muhammad Jawadullah into the stands before an inside edge raced to the boundary, reducing the equation to four runs in the final over, which Afghanistan completed without further alarm.
Earlier, Sohaib stitched together a 57-ball 84-run partnership for the third wicket with Alishan Sharafu (40 off 29) to rebuild the innings after the early setbacks.
However, Afghanistan clawed back with a cluster of wickets in the middle overs, leaving UAE at 121 for 6 in the 16th over.
Sohaib added another 31 runs with Haider Ali before Omarzai returned to dismiss him in the 19th over, completing his fourth wicket.
Omarzai was rewarded for mixing his line and length as he struck early, removing last match’s hero Aryansh Sharma for a four-ball duck.
Skipper Muhammad Waseem (10) tried to push the pace hitting two boundaries before being trapped in front by Mujeeb Ur Rahman as UAE slipped to 13 for 2.
UAE’s batters handled the Afghan spinners effectively during the Powerplay, punishing loose deliveries. Sharafu struck two boundaries off Mujeeb as UAE raced to 55 for 2, before launching Rashid Khan for a six to bring up the half-century stand.
However, Ziaur Rahman, who came in for left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi, and spinner Noor Ahmad proved expensive.
Rahman conceded 16 runs in his opening over, with Sohaib striking three boundaries.
Noor too endured a tough spell, being hit for two sixes by Sohaib over cover and mid-wicket as UAE progressed to 93 for 2 in 10 overs.
Mujeeb then provided a timely breakthrough with Sharafu holing out to Ibrahim Zadran at long-off. Omarzai then struck twice in his third over, cleaning up Syed Haider (13) and inducing an edge from Harshit Kaushik (0).
Sohaib brought up his half-century off 37 balls with a six, but Muhammad Arfan (0) fell while attempting a reverse hit, and Omarzai returned to wrap up Sohaib’s resistance in the 19th over to complete a fine bowling performance. (PTI)
