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Hasan Ali Dropped As Pakistan Captain Agha Salman Elects To Bat Vs Afghanistan

Anurag Dasgupta

PAK Vs AFG Toss updates [Source: @ACBofficials/x.com]PAK Vs AFG Toss updates [Source: @ACBofficials/x.com]

The stage is set for a riveting battle as Pakistan will take on Afghanistan in the first match of the T20 tri-series competition, also featuring the UAE. The mini tournament will serve as a great practice ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 which commences next month as the same venues will be used for the tournament.

The buildup to the match

Pakistan is coming into the tri-series on the back of an embarrassing defeat vs Bangladesh. The younger players have failed to deliver the goods, and the Salman Ali Agha led side has dropped Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan from the tri-series, and the Asia Cup squad.

On the other hand, Afghanistan have not played any international games since the Champions Trophy in February-March, and are heading into the match with hardly any match-practice. However, the team knows the UAE conditions on the back of their hands, and Pakistan cannot afford to take them lightly.

Ahead of the game, we look at what transpired at the toss between the two teams.

Who won the toss in PAK vs AFG?

Pakistan won the toss and Agha Salman had no hesitation in electing to bat first. The condition would remain the same for the entirety of the 40-overs. Pakistan have gone in with their tried and tested formula, but there is no place for Hasan Ali. The Men in Green are going in with two front-line pacers in Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf also gets a nod.

For Afghanistan, there is no Noor Ahmad in the playing XI, and this comes in as a jolt to the Afghan side.

PAK Vs AFG playing XIs

Pakistan Playing XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem

Afghanistan Playing XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (c), Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik