Ace spinner Rashid Khan grew to become the very best wicket-taker in Twenty20 internationals as he helped Afghanistan beat United Arab Emirates by 38 runs in Sharjah on Monday.
The wily 26-year-old took 3-21 — reaching 165 wickets in his 98th T20I — to derail UAE from 90-2 to 150-8 in 20 overs after setting them 189 to win within the tri-series match.
Afghanistan’s whole of 188-4 was constructed round a superb 40-ball 63 from Ibrahim Zadran and a 40-ball 54 by Sediqullah Atal as they got here again after dropping to Pakistan of their first sport.
UAE captain Muhammad Waseem scared Afghanistan with a rapid-fire 37-ball 67, comprising six maximums and 4 boundaries in his twenty third T20I half-century.
However Waseem’s departure sparked a collapse as Rashid dismissed Ethan D’Souza (12), Asif Khan (one) and Dhruv Parashar (one) to overtake New Zealand pacer Tim Southee’s T20I report of 164 wickets in 126 video games.
Afghanistan owed their whole to Zadran and Atal as they added 84 for the second wicket after being put in to bat.
Atal’s maiden T20I fifty had 4 boundaries and three sixes, whereas Zadran knocked 4 sixes and three hits to the rope.
Karim Janat hit two sixes and as many boundaries in his 10-ball 23 not out whereas Azmatullah Omarzai’s undefeated 12-ball 20 contained two sixes.
Muhammad Rohid and Saghir Khan grabbed two wickets apiece for UAE.
Pakistan, who received each their matches within the tri-series, face Afghanistan on Tuesday.
All three groups play one another twice with the highest two disputing the September 7 ultimate.
