Nawaz's historic hat-trick powers Pakistan to tri-nation series win in UAE, beat Afghanistan by 75 runs

Sharjah [UAE], September 8 (ANI): A superb five-wicket haul and a hat-trick from spinner Mohammed Nawaz helped Pakistan unafraid a momentum-boosting tri-nation bid win, arsenic they defeated Afghanistan successful the last by a monolithic 75 runs astatine Sharjah connected Sunday.

Pakistan ended this tri-nation bid with a full of 4 wins and a loss, portion Afghanistan secured 3 wins and 2 losses, including this nonaccomplishment successful the final. UAE, the hosts, mislaid each their matches. This bid triumph serves arsenic a bully motion for Pakistan, who volition commencement their Asia Cup run present connected September 12 against Oman successful Dubai.

Pakistan opted to bat first, and contempt a 49-run basal for the 2nd wicket betwixt Saim Ayub (17) and Fakhar Zaman (27 successful 26 balls, with 2 fours and a six), they recovered themselves nether the pump astatine 72/5 successful 11.3 overs. Skipper Salman Agha (24 successful 27 balls, with 2 sixes) and Mohammed Haris (25 successful 21 balls, with 2 sixes) played important knocks successful taking Pakistan to 141/8 successful their 20 overs.

Skipper Rashid Khan (3/38) was the starring wicket-taker for Afghans, portion Fazalhaq Farooqi and Noor Ahmed besides got 2 wickets. Allah Ghazanfar got 1 wicket.

Afghanistan was ne'er a menace during this humble run-chase, with Nawaz striking doubly successful the last 2 balls of the sixth implicit to trim them to 29/4. On the archetypal shot of the seventh over, Nawaz completed his hat-trick by removing Ibrahim Zadran (9). Only Sediqullah Atal (13) and skipper Rashid (17) managed to interaction treble digits arsenic Pakistan bundled them retired for 66 successful 15.5 overs.

Nawaz (5/19) was the apical bowler for Pakistan, joining the institution of Sufiyan Muqeem, Umar Gul, Imad Wasim and Hasan Ali arsenic the 5th bowler from Pakistan to person a T20I five-wicket haul. After Faheem Ashraf and Mohammed Hasnain, helium became the 3rd Pakistan bowler to get a hat-trick successful T20Is and became the archetypal Pakistan spinner to bash so.

Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan besides got 2 wickets connected a aboveground assisting spin.

Nawaz took location the 'Player of the Series' award, with 10 wickets successful 5 matches and 120 runs successful 5 matches astatine an mean of 30, onslaught complaint of 133.33 and champion people of 37*, delivering a coagulated all-round show. (ANI)