Team India on alert? The hat -trick of Pakistan Mohammad Nawaz sends shock waves in front of the Asian Cup | Cricket news
New Delhi: Pakistan sent a strong statement before the Asian Cup while the hat-trick of Mohammad Nawaz inspired a 75-point victory over Afghanistan in the final of the Tri-Series series in Sharjah on Sunday. Nawaz finished with the best T20i figures of 5 for 19, which focusing Afghanistan for only 66 in 15.5 overs while defending a modest 142 on a difficult surface.Earlier, the Afghan skipper Rashid Khan claimed 3 gohets to restrict Pakistan to 141 for 8 after choosing to beat first. Fakhar Zaman scored with 27, adding 49 points for the second window with Saim Ayub (17). Nawaz cut with a 21-ball 25, while Captain Salman Agha worked at 24. Rashid removed Zaman in his opening, before also rejecting Hasan Nawaz (15) and Agha, although the latter strikes him for two six.The match has become decisively when Nawaz rejected Darwish Rasooli and Azmatullah Omarzai out of successive deliveries for the ducks, before trapping Ibrahim Zadran (9) the first ball of his next to finish his triplet. In doing so, he became the third Pakistani launcher after Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Hasnain to claim a T20i hat.The Afghanistan striker collapsed in the pursuit, with only Rashid (17) and Sediqulah Atal (13) reaching the double figures. Their total of 66 was their second lower T20is, behind the 56 All against South Africa in the semi-finals of the World Cup from last year.
“We wanted to prepare in a way that helps us with the Asian Cup and we did it,” said Pakistani captain Salman Agha. “We have been very well from the Bangladesh series at home. Now we are in very good shape and entirely prepared. ”Afghanistan will start its Asian Cup campaign on Tuesday against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi, with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh also in group B. Pakistan, on the other hand, is placed in group A alongside India, Oman and hosts the water.
