Pakistan vs Afghanistan, Final at Sharjah, UAE Tri-Series, Sep 07 2025 - Ball by Ball Commentary

Mohammad Nawaz, Player of the Match: The plan was very simple. We knew the pitch was difficult to bat on and we felt we had enough runs. Our focus was on disciplined bowling, sticking to line and length and it worked. After my first two balls, I noticed there was spin, so I adjusted the pace accordingly. I bowled within the stumps, keeping the pads in view. I'm feeling really good and in rhythm, and having that control gives me confidence to stick with the plan. I try to keep it simple and execute plans properly. At that point in the innings, we needed partnerships. It wasn't easy to go after their spinners - they're world-class - but we managed to recover and aimed for 140. Thankfully, we got there

Rashid Khan, Afghanistan Captain: I feel like that was a chaseable total but we didn't play the brand of cricket we wanted. Losing five wickets inside the powerplay made it really hard to bounce back. Sharjah wickets always give you a different impression before match but once the match starts, it's different. I was surprised by how much it spun. It's important for us to learn from these conditions ahead of the Asia Cup. Over the last 8-9 months, we haven't played much T20 cricket together and a series like this gives us positive energy. I think it's going to be a great and exciting Asia Cup for us

Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan Captain: It was the kind of wicket where even 130-140 was always going to be challenging and once we got there, we knew it would be tough for them. Since Nawaz's comeback, he's been outstanding, performing brilliantly in all departments. For me, he's the guy I can rely on in tough situations. People often ask us - former cricketers, fans on social media - why we don't play two spinners. We select based on conditions and today it worked. We wanted to prepare in a way that helps us for the Asia Cup and we've done that. We've been doing really well since the Bangladesh home series. Finally, we're in very good shape and fully prepared for the Asia Cup

Pakistan register an emphatic win and will head into the Asia Cup with massive confidence. Their spin stocks look strong and the variety in their attack - especially in UAE conditions - will help them pose a stiff challenge to any opposition. Today, the batters struggled to negotiate spin but Salman and Nawaz steadied the ship and put enough runs on the board. Afghanistan were handed a taste of their own medicine and found it onerous to deal with spin, folding for just 66. Mohammad Nawaz decimated the batting line-up with his control and canny off-spin, ending a stellar day at the office with a memorable hat-trick. As for Afghanistan, their chase was frantic from the start and a sense of chaos remained the theme throughout the innings. Quick wickets only exacerbated the pressure and they couldn't recover after the powerplay. That said, this high-pressure final will help both teams identify weak spots and fine-tune their plans before the all-important Asia Cup.

Thank you for your feedback and for following our coverage throughout this tri-series. This is Rvel Zahid, signing out.

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