Naseer, Jawadullah four-fors help UAE level series 1-1
Written by I Dig SportsUAE 166 for 7 (Lakra 63, Waseem 53, Qais 2-15, Omarzai 2-35) beat Afghanistan 155 (Nabi 47, Zazai 36, Naseer 4-24, Jawadullah 4-26) by 11 runs
The duo added an unbeaten 39 off just 19 balls for the eighth wicket to lead UAE to 166. Lakra finished not out on a 47-ball 63 which included three fours and four sixes.
In reply, openers Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz were quick off the blocks as Afghanistan raced to 47 for 0 in five overs, but Naseer changed the complexion of the game. He took out Gurbaz off his second ball and then struck in his next two overs too, removing Ibrahim Zadran and Zazai. Jawadullah then got into the act by dislodging Najibullah Zadran and Darwish Rasooli in the space of three balls as Afghanistan slipped to 99 for 6 in the 15th over, needing 65 from 30 balls.
Mohammad Nabi gave UAE a scare by smashing 47 off 27 balls with five fours and two sixes but wickets continued to fall around him. Naseer returned to remove Qais before Jawadullah had Noor Ahmad and Naveen-ul-Haq off consecutive balls to signal the end.
Nabi was on strike for the last over when Afghanistan needed 20 runs but he only managed eight runs off four balls before falling on the fifth as Afghanistan were bowled out for 155. Naseer was named Player of the Match for his 4 for 24. The third and final T20I will take place in Sharjah on January 2.