UAE finish year on high as bowlers seal victory over Afghanistan in T20 series

The UAE bowlers came to the fore as the home team stunned Afghanistan to level the three-match T20I series with an 11-run win at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Captain Muhammad Waseem and Aryan Lakra smashed half-centuries to help the UAE post a competitive total of 166-7 before Ali Naseer and Muhammad Jawadullah grabbed four wickets each to dismiss their opponents for 155.

Naseer grabbed the first three wickets in three overs and bagged his fourth from his second spell to take the player of the match award for an excellent spell of 4-1-24-4.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (21), the centurion in the first game, was Naseer's first victim when he skied one for Waseem to hold on at mid-off.

Afghan captain Ibrahim Zadran (4) was caught at third man by Jawadullah while Hazratullah Zazai (36) fell to a catch behind by Tanish Suri to leave the visitors at 72-3 in 9.4 overs.

Jawadullah (4-26) grabbed four in his second spell to turn the game around.

The left-arm seamer castled Najibullah Zadran (12) and Darwish Rasooli played on his next delivery to leave the Afghans struggling at 95-5 in 13.5.

He struck twice in two deliveries in the next and Junaid Siddique took one in-between to leave Afghanistan tottering at 128-9 in 17.5 overs.

However, Afghanistan weren’t going down without a fight. Mohammad Nabi smashed 19 off Siddique’s penultimate over that left them needing 20 to win off Akif Raja’s final over.

Nabi (47 off 27) hit the second ball for a maximum and needed a couple of sixes from the last two deliveries but top edged a catch to Lakra at deep backward point as the home celebrated a famous win.

Earlier, Waseem and Lakra both struck fifties to help post a decent score.

Waseem, dropped at 10, led the charge with a 32-ball 53 and