Afghanistan vs United Arab Emirates, 28th Match, Group D, ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 - CommentaryAFG vs UAE, 28th Match, Group D, ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 - Commentary

Junaid Siddique to Azmatullah Omarzai, FOUR, AFG win, back of a length and well wide of off - Azmatullah Omarzai climbs into the cut and clears the fielder inside the ring at cover

Muhammad Jawadullah to Azmatullah Omarzai, FOUR, streaky, but four - despair for UAE, on a good length and at the stumps, Omarzai swings hard and gets a thick under-edge, runs away past the leg-stump and the ball runs away to the ropes

Muhammad Jawadullah to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX, clubbed, Omarzai's doing it for Afgahnistan today - tad too full and wide of off, Jawadullah can't nail the yorker and lets Omarzai get under it, he drives it through the line and clatters it over extra-cover for a maximum

Junaid Siddique to Darwish Rasooli, out Bowled!! Much better from Siddique, but has the horse been bolted already? He kept it full and he kept it straight - Rasooli took his left leg out of the way and was looking to slog it onto the on-side, misses it completely and his stumps are in a disarray - 21 needed off 15 balls, is the match still on? Darwish Rasooli b Junaid Siddique 33(23) [4s-3 6s-1]

Junaid Siddique to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX, smashed, slower ball outside off, but it's a back of a length delivery and sits up to the right-hander. Omarzai swings hard and sends it soaring over long-off for a maximum

Muhammad Arfan to Darwish Rasooli, FOUR, thumped, fuller length delivery on off - Rasooli gets under and then bludgeons the on-drive, drags it wide of mid-wickets and splits the two fielders in the deep to a nicety

Muhammad Arfan to Darwish Rasooli, SIX, hammered, sheer power from Rasooli - was full anmd just outside off, he didn't quite get to the pitch of the ball as he swung hard, the connection is good though and it sails over the bowler's head - onto the 2nd tier of the stadium

Simranjeet Singh to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX, just over deep cover's throat, tossed up on off - Omarzai backed away and was looking to go inside out over extra-cover - the fielder in the deep was well placed, but this is struck sweetly and goes beyond his leap

Muhammad Jawadullah to Darwish Rasooli, FOUR, that'll settle some nerves in the AFG camp - full-toss down leg and it's flicked behind square on the on-side, ebating the fielder's dive in the ring

Muhammad Arfan to Ibrahim Zadran, out Caught by Muhammad Waseem!! There's the big wicket and UAE believe they can still cause an upset - Was the slower short ball from Arfan, bowled into the pitch and Zadran doesn't get enough power behind the pull - he probably had to wait for that extra moment and that meant he spooned it up over mid-wicket - Waseem runs in from the deep and completes a fine running catch. They've taken drinks with UAE starting to look dangerous. Ibrahim Zadran c Muhammad Waseem b Muhammad Arfan 53(41) [4s-6 6s-1]

Simranjeet Singh to Darwish Rasooli, FOUR, lovely, tad too short and wide of off - Rasooli backs away, opens up the off-side and then hammers the drive wide of extra-cover, races away to the ropes in a hurry

Simranjeet Singh to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR, cracking shot, fraction short and at the stumps - Zadran clears his left leg and then whios it off the back-foot, places it wide of long-on for a boundary

Muhammad Jawadullah to Sediqullah Atal, out Bowled!! That's an absolute corker and Sediqullah's off-stump is on the floor - very full and kept coming back into the left-hander, wasn't the perfect yorker, but it sneaks under the left-hander's bat - he's way too late in getting it down and the off-stump goes for a walk. UAE keeping themselves interested in this chase. Sediqullah Atal b Muhammad Jawadullah 16(14) [4s-1 6s-1]

Simranjeet Singh to Sediqullah Atal, SIX, beautifully played, Atal comes down the pitch, gets close to the ball and then hoists it high over long-on, went a long way into the stands for a maximum

Muhammad Arfan to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR, cracking shot, back of a length and well wide of off - Zadran gets on top of the bounce, stands tall and then punches it wide of cover for a boundary

Muhammad Arfan to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR, nicely played, back of a length and at the hips, Sediqullah gets inside the line and then clips it backward of square on the on-side, runs away to the ropes in a hurry

Muhammad Arfan to Gulbadin Naib, out Caught by Harshit Kaushik!! Short, wide and straight to the fielder at backward point - width on offer and Gulbadin Naib's eyes lit up, went hard on the cut and doesn't bother to keep it down, slashes it right down backward point's throat. A straightforward catch for Harshit Kaushik and the players will take drinks at the fall of Naib. Gulbadin Naib c Harshit Kaushik b Muhammad Arfan 13(12) [4s-1 6s-1]

Muhammad Jawadullah to Gulbadin Naib, FOUR, creamed, overpitched and wide of off - Naib waits on it, plays with a slightly open face and finds the gap wide of cover for a boundary

Muhammad Jawadullah to Gulbadin Naib, SIX, thumped, length ball around off - Naib clears his front-leg and then muscles the lofted drive, sends it soaring over long-on for a maximum

Haider Ali to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR, 18 off the over, dropped short and wide of off - Zadran backs away, opens the face of the bat and then cuts it late, beating backward point to his left

Haider Ali to Ibrahim Zadran, SIX, beautifully played, tossed up well outside off - Ibrahim Zadran shuffles across, bends down low and then helps the ball on its way with the sweep - didn't come off the middle, but he was always looking to clear the infield, bounces away to the ropes

Haider Ali to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR, clubbed, the boundaries are beginning to come now - flatter and at the stumps, Zadran backs away, opens up the off-side and clatters the cut past cover

Haider Ali to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR, nicely played, Zadran comes down the pitch, doesn't get to the pitch of the ball, but he went through with the lofted on-drive - almost went all the way, bouncing in front of the ropes

Junaid Siddique to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR, cracking shot, Zadran finally breaks the shackles with a superb off-drive, tad too full from Siddique - it's right in the slot and the right-hander goes through with the lofted drive, a high elbow and a straight bat

Junaid Siddique to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, out Caught by Sohaib Khan!! A miscue and Gurbaz has holed out to third man - just the perfect start that UAE needed, Gurbaz ran down the pitch, made room and then threw his hands on the big drive, gets a thick outside edge and the ball flies down the throat of Sohaib Khan. A poor start and Rahmanullah Gurbaz falls for a duck. Rahmanullah Gurbaz c Sohaib Khan b Junaid Siddique 0(2)

Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Junaid Siddique, out Junaid Siddique Run Out!! 1 run completed. A run-out to end the innings - yorker length delivery on off, Junaid backs away and drives it through cover. They were always coming back for the second, but it isn't on - Rashid run in from long-off, the throw is accurate and the keeper does the rest, catching Junaid well short. Junaid Siddique run out (Rashid Khan/Rahmanullah Gurbaz) 3(2)

Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Haider Ali, out Haider Ali Run Out!!They're finding ways to get themselves dismissed - yorker length delivery asnd following Haider Ali as he backed away, it's gone right through his legs and through to Rahmanullah Gurbaz - Haider somehow thinks there's a single there, but his partner isn't moving - Rahmanullah Gurbaz under-arms the shy and finds the stumps with Haider stranded out of the crease. He isn't happy with his partner, but there was no run there. Haider Ali run out (Rahmanullah Gurbaz) 13(12) [4s-2]

Azmatullah Omarzai to Sohaib Khan, out Caught by Mujeeb Ur Rahman!! A loopy slower short ball that was bowled into the pitch - Sohaib Khan shuffles across and then looks to flap it onto the on-side, but the ball climbs onto him, no pace to work with and the top-edge lobs into the hands of Mujeeb at square leg. Fourth wicket for Azmatullah Omarzai and he's on a roll. Sohaib Khan c Mujeeb Ur Rahman b Azmatullah Omarzai 68(48) [4s-6 6s-4]

Azmatullah Omarzai to Sohaib Khan, FOUR, beautifully played, fuller length delivery and well wide of off - Sohaib Khan leans across and scythes the drive point, the fielder in the deep gets across, slides and the ball bounces off his hand

Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Haider Ali, FOUR, cheeky and four, short and just outside off - Haider Ali backs away, opens the face of the bat and then runs it past the keeper for a boundary, 18 off the over

Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Haider Ali, FOUR, beautifully played, on a good length and just outside off - Haider Ali backs away, opens up the off-side and then creams the drive past cover for a boundary

Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Sohaib Khan, SIX, lovely, back of a length and at the stumps - Sohaib swivels across, gets on top of the bounce and helps it on its way with the pull over long leg

Rashid Khan to Muhammad Arfan, out Hit Wkt!! ! That's a horror shot from Muhammad Arfan - not sure what he was thinking? He's actually smashed his stumps with the bat and UAE continue to fall apart. Was nicely tossed up on middle and Arfan was shaping for the reverse sweep, doesn't get a good enough connection and the ball rolled to the off-side, but Arfan's motion means he swings his bat on the followthrough and onto the stumps. '1st ever hit-wicket dismissal', says Shaun Pollock on Rashid, also his 700th T20 wicket. Muhammad Arfan hit wkt b Rashid Khan 0(2)

Rashid Khan to Sohaib Khan, SIX, crunched, tossed up well wide of off - Sohaib leans forward and then lifts it nonchalantly over the bowler's head, sails into the sightscreen and brings up his fifty

Azmatullah Omarzai to Harshit Kaushik, out Caught by Rahmanullah Gurbaz!! Is there an edge? Afghanistan think so, so does umpire Leslie Reifer and Harshit Kaushik has reviewed it. Was full and wide of off, the left-hander went chasing after that and there was a sound when the ball went past the bat. Onto Ultra-Edge and it's clearly come off the outside edge - OUT will stay and UAE have lost a review. Was full and wide of off, Kaushik went chasing after that and the edge went through to Gurbaz - two wickets in the over and UAE are in trouble. Harshit Kaushik c Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Azmatullah Omarzai 0(3)

Azmatullah Omarzai to Syed Haider, out Bowled!! Cleaned up! On a length and angling back into the right-hander - Haider was staying leg-sided and doesn't cover for the movement, plays away from his body and watches the ball clip the top of off-stump. UAE lose a wicket just after the drinks break. Syed Haider b Azmatullah Omarzai 13(10) [4s-1 6s-1]

Noor Ahmad to Syed Haider, SIX, hammered, a dragdown from Noor - too short and sat up on the pitch, Haider swivels across and then pummels the pull over mid-wicket for a maximum

Rashid Khan to Syed Haider, FOUR, that's a top-edged sweep. Goes wide of the short fine leg fielder and escapes to the fence. This was a leggie that finished down the leg-side, so Haider went hard on the shot and got lucky with the edge

Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Alishan Sharafu, out Caught by Ibrahim Zadran!! In the airrr, not enough distance and taken at long-off. This one goes away from the right-hander, Alishan stepped out to go big but didn't get the connection right - went off the bottom of the bat. He walks back after giving a good base to his team. Alishan Sharafu c Ibrahim Zadran b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 40(31) [4s-3 6s-2]

Noor Ahmad to Sohaib Khan, SIX, smashed, tossed up and drifting into the right-hander - Sohaib bends down low, picks the length early and then shovels the slog-sweep over mid-wicket for a maximum

Noor Ahmad to Alishan Sharafu, SIX, beautifully played, flighted delivery outside off - was the leg-break and Sharafu picked it cleanly, backs away, opens the face of the bat and goes inside out over cover with the drive, sends it soaring over cover for a maximum

Noor Ahmad to Sohaib Khan, FOUR, edged and four, the leg-break from Noor - Sohaib didn't read it, was looking to work it onto the on-side, closed the face of the bat and the leading edge flies to the right of slip

Noor Ahmad to Sohaib Khan, FOUR, nicely played, poor ball from Noor - full and down leg, Sohaib gets down low, rolled his wrists and then swept it backward of square on the on-side for a boundary

Rashid Khan to Alishan Sharafu, SIX, clubbed, tad too full from Rashid - Sharafu gets down low, plays with the spin and then hoists the slog-sweep over wide long-on for a maximum, brings up the 50-run stand

Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Alishan Sharafu, FOUR, a leading edge, but the ball rolls into the gap behind square on the off-side and runs away to the ropes - was a straight ball from Mujeeb and Sharafu was looking to work it backward of square on the on-side, closed the face of the bat early

Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Alishan Sharafu, FOUR, smashed, fraction too full from Mujeeb - Sharafu backs away, gets right behind the ball and then lifts ikt back over the bowler's head, almost went all the way, bouncing just in front of the ropes

Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Sohaib Khan, FOUR, top-edge and four, banged in short by Ziaur - Sohaib Khan swivels across on the pull, doesn'tv get on top of the bounce and the edge flies over short fine for a boundary. 16 off the over

Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Sohaib Khan, FOUR, edged and four, back of a length and nipping away from outside off - slip was removed just before this ball and the genuine edge flies right through the gap

Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Sohaib Khan, FOUR, Sohaib Khan makes most of the free-hit, fuller length delivery and shaping away from off - the right-hander goes hard on the drive and slices a thick outside edge over backward point

Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Sohaib Khan, SIX, hammered, too full from Mujeeb, it's right in the slot and Sohaib hammers the drive over long-off, struck it sweetly and over long-off for a maximum

Azmatullah Omarzai to Alishan Sharafu, FOUR, lovely shot, banged in short and just outside off - Sharafu swivels across, gets on top of the bounce and pulls it over square leg for a boundary

Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Muhammad Waseem, out Lbw!! Muhammad Waseem has been given OUT LBW and he's reviewed it - tossed up around off, drifts in and then straightens past the right-hander - Waseem was looking to work it with the angle and is beaten on the outside edge - no bat and UltraEdge confirms the same. Onto ball-tracking: The impact is in front of off and it's clipping the top of off-stump, stays with the umjpire's call and UAE have lost both openers cheaply. Muhammad Waseem lbw b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 10(6) [4s-2]

Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Muhammad Waseem, FOUR, a bad misfield and it costs them another boundary - tossed up and sliding into the right-hander, Waseem shuffles across and then swipes it through mid-wicket - Rasooli has it covered, but he took his eyes off the ball at the last moment and lets it go through his legs

Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Muhammad Waseem, FOUR, nicely played, very full and sliding into the right-hander - Waseem backs away, clears his front-foot and the drills the drive straight of mid-on

Azmatullah Omarzai to Aryansh Sharma, out Caught by Rahmanullah Gurbaz!! Another massive appeal for caught behind, umpire Leslie Reifer is unmoved, but he then wants to then check for a fair catch. There's an obvious underedge and UltraEdge confirms the same. We're now checking for a fair catch. The ball was dipping onto the keeper, but did Rahmanullah Gurbaz manage to get his glove under it this time around? More checks from umpire Paul Reiffel, but the front-on angle isn't very convincing - will Aryansh get away with the benefit of doubt once again? The third umpire feels that the ball might've gone off the edge of the fingers and he's convinced - OUT is the call. Aryansh's stay out in the middle comes to an end, banged in short and just outside off, the right-hander swivelled onto the pull and the under-edge barely carried through to the keeper. 50th T20I wicket for Azmatullah Omarzai. Aryansh Sharma c Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Azmatullah Omarzai 0(4)