Pakistan clinch last-ball win over Afghanistan in their first ever T20I match

Pakistan played its first ever T20I with the emerging cricket team of Afghanistan at Sharjah Sunday evening and won the match in a sensational ending.

Afghan team gave a target of 138 runs to Pakistan at Sharjah - but then restricted Pakistan to the last over with six runs remaining to reach the target.

Afghanistan, who won the toss and batted, had a poor start as they lost both their openers Mohammad Shahzad (two) and Nawroz Mangal (one) by the fifth over.

But Najibullah Zadran (38) and Nabi (15 off ten) gave solidity to the innings, adding 35 for the fourth wicket in quick time.

But once left-arm paceman Junaid Khan came on to bowl he put the brakes on the Afghanistan batting, cleaning Najibullah and Samiullah Sinwari (16) in quick succession to finish with 3-24 in his four overs.

It was finally Pakistan's skipper Mohammad Hafeez who kept his cool to finish with a 37-ball 42 not out as Pakistan needed six off the final over bowled by Dawlat Zadran and one off the last delivery.

Hafeez hit two boundaries and a six during his knock and avoided any major hiccup against a fighting Afghan team. While openers Ahmed Shehzad (35) and debutant Sharjeel Khan (18) by the eighth over. Shehzad, who hit six boundaries during his 37-ball knock, holed out while Sharjeel miscued a drive off Mohammad Nabi in the tenth over.

Pakistan now play Sri Lanka in the two Twenty20 games in Dubai on Wednesday and Friday while Afghanistan take on Ireland in the final of the ICC Inter-Continental Cup in Dubai from Tuesday.

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