Pakistan beat Afghanistan in one-off T20

Pakistan overcame stiff resistance by Afghanistan to win the first-ever Twenty20 international between the two countries by six wickets at Sharjah on Sunday.

In their only T20 international, Pakistan marched to victory in a last-ball finish.

Afghanistan, who won the toss and chose to bat first, set Pakistan a target of 138 runs in the stipulated 20 overs, losing eight wickets in the process. Junaid Khan starred with the bowl for Pakistan by taking 3 wickets.

Pakistan started the innings brightly with the first partnership contributing 49, before Ahmed Shehzad fell to Samiullah Shenwari after scoring 35 runs. Pakistan captain Muhammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal took the reins after left-handed debutant Sharjeel Khan was caught in the field, and steadied the innings with a 47 run partnership.

Pakistan needed six runs of the last over with Shahid Afridi and  Hafeez on the crease.  The two batsmen failed to hit a big shot to the boundary and needed one run off the last ball, when bowler Dawlat Zadran bowled a wide to hand Pakistan the victory.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2013.