Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz called his century against UAE a special one following his side’s 72-run win at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Gurbaz was adjudged the ‘Player of the Match’ for his blistering hundred against UAE in Sharjah. Gurbaz smashed 100 runs to help his side post 203 for 3 in the first innings against UAE. In reply, Afghanistan bowled out the hosts for 131 runs, winning the match by 72 runs.
With this win, Afghanistan took a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series against UAE.
Speaking after Afghanistan’s win, Gurbaz said he dreamt of scoring a hundred in T20Is, while calling this knock a special one. Gurbaz scored 100 runs off 52 balls, smashing seven boundaries and as many sixes.
“I feel really excited. I dreamt of a hundred in a T20I so I’m excited. My plan was to give strike to Hazratullah and whenever I got a loose ball, my plan was to be in as wicket was not easy. The crowd supports us everywhere, they support both teams and that is the amazing thing. Thanks to them and I hope they come for the next game. I have played good knocks but in T20s I can say this one is a special one,” said Gurbaz.
Batting first, Afghanistan posted 203 runs on the board on the back of a century from Gurbaz and a fifty from skipper Ibrahim Zadran. Following the early dismissal of opener Hazratullah Zazai, Zadran and Gurbaz stitched a massive 137-run stand for the second wicket to turn the game’s tide.
Gurbaz was dismissed by Junaid Siddique after scoring his maiden T20I hundred before Muhammad Jawadullah sent Zadran packing, having scored 59 runs off 43 deliveries. Azamatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi provided Afghanistan with a final flourish to take their total to 203 for 3 in 20 overs.
In the second innings, Vriitya Aravind scored a 64-ball 70 but brilliant spells from pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi and spinner Noor Ahmad restricted the flow of runs for UAE.
Fazalhaq claimed two wickets while leaking just 19 runs in four overs, while Naveen-ul-Haq and Qais Ahmed chipped in with a wicket each as UAE finished with 131 for 4 on the board, losing the contest by 72 runs.
