Dubai [UAE], January 20 : Afghanistan, led by Rashid Khan, handed the Brandon King-led West Indies a convincing 38-run defeat at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday to kick the three-match T20I series off with a win.
Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first. While the Asian side suffered an early jolt in the form of Rahmanullah Gurbaz's run out on the very first ball of the match, Ibrahim Zadran (87 runs off 56 balls, including fours and 3 sixes) made sure his team still got a quick start as they were 18/1 in 2 overs.
However, Jayden Seales handed Afghanistan another blow as he scalped the wicket of Sediqullah Atal (2 runs off 4 balls) in the third over, reducing Afghanistan to 19/2 in 2.2 overs.
With Afghanistan on the back foot, Darwish Rasooli (84 runs off 59 balls, including 8 boundaries and 2 sixes) joined Zadran and stitched a match-defining 162-run partnership off just 106 balls to propel Afghanistan to 181/3 in 20 overs. The duo scored at over 10 runs per over in the final five overs of Afghanistan's batting innings, scoring 53 runs.
The West Indies' chase never gained traction as the Afghan bowlers maintained tight discipline from the outset, with Mujeeb Ur Rahman ( 2/29 in four overs) dismissing captain Brandon King (4 runs off 4 balls) in the very first over.
Despite a brisk 27 from Johnson Charles at the top, the middle order crumbled against a relentless spin attack led by Rashid Khan (2/19 in four overs), Mujeeb and Noor Ahmad (2/34 in four overs). Ziaur Rahman Sharifi was the pick of the bowlers, claiming career-best figures of 3/36 as he tore through the lower order. Late resistance from debutant Quentin Sampson (30 off 34 balls) and Gudakesh Motie (28 runs off 15 balls) provided some entertainment but proved insufficient against the rising required rate. West Indies were eventually restricted to 143/9, handing Afghanistan a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Darwish Rasooli was given the 'Player of the Match' award for his brilliant 59-ball 84 in the first innings. Both sides will now face off in the second T20I on Wednesday at the same venue.