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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) are gearing up to host Afghanistan for a three-match T20I series, commencing on Friday, December 29. All three matches will be held at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah. Muhammad Waseem is set to lead the UAE side in this series, while Ibrahim Zadran will captain Afghanistan.
Rivalry between UAE and Afghanistan
Having played ten T20Is against each other, Afghanistan have dominated the encounters, winning eight games, while the UAE have secured victory in only two matches. The most recent series between these two teams took place in February this year, where Afghanistan emerged victorious, clinching the three-match series 2-1.
T20 Stats and Records at Sharjah Cricket Stadium :
- Total matches: 42
- Matches won batting first: 23
- Matches won bowling first: 19
- Average first innings scores: 142
- Average second innings scores: 119
- Highest total recorded: 215/6 (20 Overs) by Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe
- Lowest total recorded: 38/10 (10.4 Overs) by Hong Kong vs Pakistan
- Highest score chased: 179/6 (19.1 Overs) by Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan
- Lowest score defended: 142/7 (20 Overs) by West Indies vs Bangladesh
Also READ: Top 5 contenders for the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2023 Award
Sharjah Cricket Stadium Pitch Report
Sharjah Cricket Stadium, with its short boundaries, typically features a slow pitch. Despite the pitch’s sluggish nature, the proximity of the boundaries has allowed batters to amass significant runs on this ground. Therefore, the captain winning the toss might opt to chase.
Sharjah Weather Forecast
The weather forecast for the upcoming match between UAE and Afghanistan in Sharjah appears promising, with no expected rainfall. Fans can anticipate higher humidity levels at 79%, accompanied by a 10 kmph breeze. The temperature is projected to be around 20 degrees.
UAE vs Afghanistan, 1st T20I, Probable Playing XI:
UAE: Muhammad Waseem (c), Aayan Afzal Khan, Samal Udawaththa, Vriitya Aravind (wk), Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Ali Naseer, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Junaid Siddique, Nilansh Keswani, Khalid Shah
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hazratullah Zazai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Naveen-Ul-Haq, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad
