When Pakistan thumped Afghanistan by 75 runs in the Tri‑Series final, the cricket world took notice. The showdown unfolded at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates on September 7, 2025, and instantly became a talking point for fans gearing up for the Asia Cup. A five‑wicket haul – complete with a hat‑trick – from Mohammad Nawaz, the right‑arm pacer for Pakistan, turned the match into a one‑sided affair that will be remembered for weeks.
The Tri‑Series, officially titled the T20I Tri Nation Series 2025, featured a double round‑robin format. Both sides entered the decider with three wins from four games, but Pakistan edged ahead on net run‑rate despite a stunning 18‑run loss to Afghanistan in the second meeting, where the Afghans defended a massive 169‑run total.
Captains Salman Ali Agha (Pakistan) and Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) used the series as a rehearsal for the upcoming Asia Cup. Both squads shuffled line‑ups, giving youngsters like Sediqullah Atal and veterans such as Mohammad Nabi a chance to fine‑tune their roles.
The toss, held at 8:00 pm IST, saw Pakistan elect to bat first. Openers Haroon Rasheed and Saud Shakeel steadied the innings, stitching together a 61‑run partnership before Rasheed fell for 32.
Later, Ali Khan contributed a quick‑fire 24 off 12 balls, pushing the total to 141 for 8 after the allotted 20 overs. The target looked modest, but the real story unfolded with the ball.
Afghanistan’s chase began brightly, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz slipping a single off the first over. By the third over, however, the wickets began to tumble. The final score – 66 all out in 15.5 overs – is now recorded as the second‑lowest T20 total ever defended at Sharjah.
Enter Mohammad Nawaz, Pakistan’s surprise ace of the day. In just four overs he claimed 5 wickets for 19 runs, a spell that included a rare hat‑trick – dismissing Karim Janat, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Gulbadin Naib in consecutive balls.
Supporting figures were impressive too. Sufyan Mokim returned 2 for 9, while Abrar Ahmed added 2 for 17. The collective Pakistani attack bowled 31 of the 66 runs, a pressure‑cooker performance that left Afghanistan scrambling.
“It’s a massive confidence boost,” Salman Ali Agha said in the post‑match interview. “Our bowlers executed the game plan perfectly, and the hat‑trick from Nawaz was a gift we didn’t see coming.”
Rashid Khan, ever‑the optimist, acknowledged the defeat but urged his side to learn. “We gave ourselves a chance early on, but the pressure built. The bowlers, especially Nawaz, were on fire. We’ll take this back to our camp and improve.”
Cricket analyst Basil Thampi noted, “The net‑run‑rate advantage Pakistan earned here is huge heading into the Asia Cup. Nawaz’s hat‑trick is the kind of momentum‑shifter you rarely see in a final.”
With the Asia Cup slated to begin in early October 2025, Pakistan now enters the tournament on a high, especially in the death‑overs department. Their ability to defend low totals bodes well for matches on slower sub‑continental pitches, where bowler-friendly conditions often dominate.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, must reassess their middle‑order strategy. The loss exposed a vulnerability against disciplined medium‑pace attacks, a gap they’ll need to plug before facing the powerhouses of India and Sri Lanka.
Both squads will also have the benefit of playing in the UAE’s desert heat again – a factor that can affect swing and spin alike. The experience gained at Sharjah, a venue that has hosted historic matches since the 1980s, cannot be overstated.
The emphatic win gives Pakistan a surge in confidence, especially with their bowlers proving they can defend modest totals. Heading into the Asia Cup, the team will likely stick with the same bowling combinations that produced Nawaz’s hat‑trick, and the net‑run‑rate boost positions them higher in the group stage rankings.
Afghanistan’s middle order collapsed under pressure from disciplined medium‑pace bowling. Nawaz’s early breakthroughs, followed by tight overs from Mokim and Ahmed, left the lower order with little support. A lack of stability against swing and seam—conditions that favor Pakistani bowlers—also contributed.
Sufyan Mokim (2/9) and Abrar Ahmed (2/17) offered tight, wicket‑taking spells. On the batting side, Salman Ali Agha’s captaincy and a quick 24 from Ali Khan helped set a defendable total. For Afghanistan, Ibrahim Zadran’s 31‑run cameo was one of the few bright spots.
A hat‑trick in a final is a career‑defining moment. Nawaz’s 5/19 not only earned him man‑of‑the‑match honors but also thrust him into the conversation for a regular spot in Pakistan’s T20I lineup, especially as the team looks to strengthen its pace attack ahead of the Asia Cup.
The Asian Cricket Council’s Asia Cup kicks off on October 3, 2025, in Pakistan. Both sides will face a packed schedule, with group matches followed by knockout rounds, making this Sharjah victory a timely confidence booster.
Mike Laidman
The match outcome is notable; the margin reflects a strong performance by Pakistan and underscores the effectiveness of their bowling attack while Afghanistan's batting collapsed under pressure