• Afghanistan registered a comprehensive 72-run victory over UAE in the first T20I of the three-match series.

  • Rahmanullah Gurbaz emerged as the star for the Afghan side as he hammered a sensational ton in the encounter.

Twitter reactions: Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s scintillating ton powers Afghanistan to a comprehensive win over UAE in 1st T20I
Afghanistan beat UAE (Image Source: Twitter)

Table of Contents

In a thrilling encounter at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Afghanistan stamped their authority on the three-match T20I series against UAE with a resounding victory. The Afghan team, led by a scintillating century from opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, showcased their prowess with both bat and ball, leaving UAE helpless in their pursuit of a challenging target.

Explosive batting display from Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Asked to bat first, Afghanistan’s top-order batters set the stage ablaze, amassing a commanding total of 203/3 in their allotted 20 overs. The standout performer was Gurbaz, who delivered a breathtaking century, scoring 100 runs off just 52 balls. Gurbaz’s innings featured seven fours and an equal number of sixes, leaving the UAE bowlers struggling to contain the onslaught.

Gurbaz was well-supported by Ibrahim Zadran, who contributed a solid 59 off 43 balls and a quick cameo from Azmatullah Omarzai (19 off 8). The UAE bowlers, led by Junaid Siddique and Aayan Khan, found it challenging to stem the flow of runs.

Afghanistan’s dominant bowling display and UAE’s surrender

Chasing a formidable target of 204 runs, UAE faced an uphill battle against Afghanistan’s formidable bowling attack. Despite a resilient effort from opener Vritiya Aravind, who fought hard for his 70 runs off 64 balls, UAE could only manage 131/4 in their 20 overs.

The Afghan bowlers, led by Fazalhaq Farooqi’s impressive performance (2 wickets for 19 runs), maintained control throughout the innings, picking up crucial wickets at regular intervals. The required run rate proved too demanding for UAE, and they succumbed to the pressure imposed by Afghanistan’s bowlers.

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Player of the Match

Undoubtedly, the Player of the Match award was won by Gurbaz, whose explosive century laid the foundation for Afghanistan’s convincing win. His aggressive yet composed innings set the tone for Afghanistan’s dominance in both innings.

Series lead and outlook

With this comprehensive win, Afghanistan takes a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. As both teams gear up for the second T20I on Sunday, December 31, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, all eyes will be on UAE’s determination to bounce back and Afghanistan’s quest to continue their dominance.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

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About the Author:
VISHWANATH HARIHARAN
Vishwanath Hariharan is Content Strategist at CricketTimes.com. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. From breaking news stories to in-depth features and opinion pieces, he has covered a wide range of topics. Vishwanath is very fond of watching cricket. Like many others, he too grew up watching, playing, and imitating his favourite players of the game. MS Dhoni is like a demigod to him. You can connect with him at vishwanath.hariharan@crickettimes.com and follow him on Twitter & Linkedin.