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Saim Ayub and Fazalhaq Farooqi in Sharjah (Source:@acb_190/X.com)
Pakistan and Afghanistan are fighting it out in Sharjah in the tri-series encounter. Afghanistan batted first and scored 169, and in reply, Pakistan are in some early trouble with Fazalhaq Farooqi removing both the openers.
Pakistan Jolted Early With Inspired Spell From Fazalhaq Farooqi
The first one to go was Saim Ayub. The swashbuckling left-handed batter scored a brilliant fifty against the UAE in the last game, but in this match, Fazalhaq Farooqi got the better of him with a sharp short delivery. It was the first ball of the second over, and Saim Ayub, who was facing his first ball, went for the pull shot. However, all he could manage was an edge towards the keeper, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz behind the stumps took an easy catch.
It was a big, big blow for Pakistan as Saim Ayub is a dangerous batter who can take the game away from the opposition when he is at his best. In the first match of the tri-series too, Saim Ayub could score just 14 runs, and so far Afghanistan have managed to keep the young Pakistan star quiet.
After the wicket of Saim Ayub, Fazalhaq Farooqi also got the better of Sahibzada Farhan as Pakistan were reduced to 29 for 2 in the fourth over. The form shown by Fazalhaq Farooqi is a good sign for Afghanistan, and early wickets can help their spinners control the middle overs more effectively.
Afghanistan Eye Revenge In Sharjah
Pakistan, on the other hand, now need their middle order to deliver and tackle the spin threat of Afghanistan. The captain, Salman Ali Agha, scored a fifty against the Afghans last time around, and a lot will depend on him in this match too.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, have a great chance to avenge the loss they suffered in the opening match of the tri-series. Thus, it would be interesting to see how things pan out between two teams desperate to assert their dominance.
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