The Pakistan vs Afghanistan T20I Tri-Series 2025 kicked off with a thrilling clash at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on August 29, 2025, where Pakistan secured a commanding 39-run victory. Batting first, Pakistan posted 182/7, powered by Salman Ali Agha’s dazzling 53* and Sahibzada Farhan’s fiery 21 off 10. Afghanistan, chasing 183, collapsed from 93/2 to 143 all out, undone by Haris Rauf’s ferocious 4-31, with Shaheen Afridi (2-21) and Mohammad Nawaz (2-23) chipping in. This blog, optimized for the focus keyphrase Pakistan vs Afghanistan T20I Tri-Series 2025, breaks down the match with detailed scorecards in a fan-friendly vibe. Let’s dive in!
Match Overview: Pakistan’s Thrilling Tri-Series Triumph
Pakistan vs Afghanistan T20I Tri-Series 2025:
Pakistan, led by Salman Ali Agha, won the toss and opted to bat on a Sharjah pitch that favored quick runs but offered spin assistance. Their 182/7 was built on Salman’s unbeaten 53 off 36 (3 fours, 3 sixes) and aggressive cameos from Nawaz (21 off 11) and Mohammad Haris. Afghanistan’s chase started strongly with Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 38, but a dramatic collapse—losing 5 wickets for 4 runs in 17 balls—triggered by Rauf’s double-wicket maiden in the 12th over sealed their fate. Despite Rashid Khan’s explosive 39 off 16, Afghanistan fell short at 143 in 19.5 overs. Key stat: This was Afghanistan’s second-heaviest T20I defeat in Sharjah by runs. Player of the Match: Salman Ali Agha.
Pakistan Innings: Salman’s Masterclass Powers 182
Pakistan vs Afghanistan T20I Tri-Series 2025:
Pakistan’s innings began with a bang, as Sahibzada Farhan smashed 21 off 10 (3 fours, 1 six) before falling to Azmatullah Omarzai. Early wickets left them at 83/4 by the 12th over, but Salman Agha’s sensational 53* off 36, including two sixes off Rashid Khan, and Nawaz’s quick 21 off 11 (2 sixes) fueled a 99-run surge in the last 9 overs. Fareed Ahmad Malik (2-47) and Omarzai (1 wicket) struck for Afghanistan, but their spinners, including Rashid, couldn’t contain Pakistan’s deep batting.
Pakistan Innings Table:
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | Mins | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sahibzada Farhan | c Fareed b Omarzai | 21 | 10 | – | 3 | 1 | 210.00 |
| Saim Ayub | c Gurbaz b Mujeeb | 17 | 16 | – | 2 | 0 | 106.25 |
| Fakhar Zaman | c Nabi b Fareed | 19 | 18 | – | 2 | 0 | 105.55 |
| Mohammad Haris (wk) | c Gurbaz b Rashid | 15 | 14 | – | 1 | 0 | 107.14 |
| Salman Agha (c) | not out | 53 | 36 | – | 3 | 3 | 147.22 |
| Hasan Nawaz | c Gurbaz b Fareed | 2 | 5 | – | 0 | 0 | 40.00 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | c Rasooli b Nabi | 21 | 11 | – | 1 | 2 | 190.90 |
| Faheem Ashraf | c Gurbaz b Omarzai | 12 | 8 | – | 1 | 1 | 150.00 |
| Shaheen Afridi | not out | 5 | 4 | – | 0 | 0 | 125.00 |
| Extras | (lb 4, w 7) | 11 | |||||
| Total | 20 overs (RR: 9.10) | 182/7 |
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy | 0s | 4s | 6s | WD | NB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 4 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 8.50 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 4 | 0 | 34 | 2 | 8.50 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 4 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 7.00 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fareed Ahmad Malik | 4 | 0 | 47 | 2 | 11.75 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Rashid Khan | 3 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 9.66 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 6.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fall of Wickets: 21-1 (Farhan, 2.3), 48-2 (Ayub, 5.4), 74-3 (Zaman, 9.1), 83-4 (Haris, 10.4), 92-5 (Nawaz, 12.2), 130-6 (Ashraf, 15.3), 161-7 (Nawaz, 18.2).
Afghanistan Innings: Rauf’s Ruthless Spell Sparks Collapse
Pakistan vs Afghanistan T20I Tri-Series 2025:
Afghanistan’s chase started with intent, as Rahmanullah Gurbaz (38 off 27, 4 fours, 1 six) and Sediqullah Atal built a 50-run stand. Shaheen Afridi’s early removal of Ibrahim Zadran (1) set the tone, but Haris Rauf’s double-wicket maiden in the 12th over triggered a catastrophic collapse from 93/2 to 97/7 in 17 balls. Rashid Khan’s fiery 39 off 16 (3 fours, 3 sixes) offered brief hope, but Rauf (4-31), Afridi (2-21), Nawaz (2-23), and Sufiyan Muqeem (2-25) bowled out Afghanistan for 143 in 19.5 overs.
Afghanistan Innings Table:
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | Mins | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) | c Nawaz b Muqeem | 38 | 27 | – | 4 | 1 | 140.74 |
| Sediqullah Atal | c Ayub b Nawaz | 17 | 20 | – | 2 | 0 | 85.00 |
| Ibrahim Zadran | b Afridi | 1 | 6 | – | 0 | 0 | 16.66 |
| Darwish Rasooli | c Haris b Rauf | 13 | 15 | – | 1 | 0 | 86.66 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | c Farhan b Rauf | 0 | 1 | – | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Mohammad Nabi | c Farhan b Muqeem | 2 | 5 | – | 0 | 0 | 40.00 |
| Gulbadin Naib | c Ayub b Nawaz | 0 | 1 | – | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Rashid Khan (c) | c Zaman b Rauf | 39 | 16 | – | 3 | 3 | 243.75 |
| Noor Ahmad | c Nawaz b Afridi | 10 | 10 | – | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | not out | 7 | 11 | – | 0 | 0 | 63.63 |
| Fareed Ahmad Malik | c Ayub b Rauf | 1 | 6 | – | 0 | 0 | 16.66 |
| Extras | (lb 4, w 11) | 15 | |||||
| Total | 19.5 overs (RR: 7.21) | 143 |
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy | 0s | 4s | 6s | WD | NB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaheen Afridi | 4 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 5.25 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Hasan Ali | 3 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 7.33 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Haris Rauf | 3.5 | 1 | 31 | 4 | 8.08 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 4 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 5.75 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sufiyan Muqeem | 4 | 0 | 25 | 2 | 6.25 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 17.00 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Fall of Wickets: 19-1 (Zadran, 2.2), 69-2 (Atal, 8.4), 93-3 (Gurbaz, 11.1), 93-4 (Omarzai, 11.2), 96-5 (Nabi, 12.2), 97-6 (Naib, 12.4), 97-7 (Rasooli, 13.1), 135-8 (Khan, 16.2), 135-9 (Ahmad, 17.3), 143-10 (Malik, 19.5).
Key Performances: Heroes Who Stole the Show
Pakistan vs Afghanistan T20I Tri-Series 2025:
- Salman Ali Agha (Pakistan): 53* off 36—sensational fifty, Player of the Match.
- Haris Rauf (Pakistan): 4-31—ruthless four-wicket haul with a double-wicket maiden.
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan): 38 off 27—strong start before the collapse.
- Rashid Khan (Afghanistan): 39 off 16—explosive cameo, top-scorer.
- Mohammad Nawaz (Pakistan): 21 off 11, 2-23—stellar all-round impact.
Tactics Talk: Pakistan’s Flawless Game Plan
Pakistan’s batting blended aggression (Farhan’s 21 off 10) with stability (Salman’s 53*), targeting Afghanistan’s spinners with late boundaries. Salman’s attack on Rashid Khan (17 runs in an over) shifted momentum. Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Rauf’s fiery pace and Afridi’s early strike, exploited Sharjah’s spin-friendly track, with Nawaz and Muqeem choking the middle overs. Afghanistan’s aggressive approach misfired, with their middle order crumbling. Rashid Khan noted the pitch suited 190-200, but losing wickets in clusters cost them. Afghanistan needs middle-over resilience; Pakistan’s strategy looks rock-solid.
Final Thoughts: Pakistan’s Blazing Start and Tri-Series Hype
The Pakistan vs Afghanistan T20I Tri-Series 2025 opener was a glorious showcase of Pakistan’s dominance—Salman’s sensational fifty and Rauf’s ruthless four-for crushed Afghanistan, setting a fiery tone for the tournament. Despite Rashid’s late fireworks, Afghanistan’s collapse from 93/2 to 97/7 was their undoing. This win gives Pakistan momentum for their next match against UAE on August 30, while Afghanistan must regroup for UAE on September 1. Can Afghanistan bounce back, or will Pakistan dominate? Who was the MVP—Salman or Rauf? Share your thoughts and keep the T20I fever alive!