Nabi’s last-over blitz powers Afghanistan to 169

In a thrilling finish, veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi unleashed a late assault, propelling Afghanistan to a competitive total of 169 runs in the Asia Cup at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

His final-over heroics ensured a strong finish for his team, setting a challenging target for the opposition.

Afghanistan's innings began shakily, with the top order struggling to build momentum. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sediqullah Atal both fell to the impressive Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan Thushara, who claimed an early hat-trick by also dismissing Karim Janat. This left Afghanistan reeling at a precarious 33 for 3.

The middle order, led by Ibrahim Zadran (24 runs) and a brief contribution from Darwish Rasooli (9 runs), attempted to stabilise the innings but couldn't accelerate. The key partnership came between Captain Rashid Khan and the explosive Mohammad Nabi. While Rashid played a sensible knock of 24 runs off 23 balls, it was Nabi who turned the tide.

Nabi's spectacular innings of 60 runs off just 22 balls was a display of sheer power-hitting. He took calculated risks, finding the boundaries with ease and putting pressure back on the Sri Lankan bowlers.

He was particularly aggressive in the final overs, hitting five sixes to take Afghanistan's score from a modest total to a formidable one. His late blitz proved to be the difference-maker, and even though he was run out on the last ball, his efforts had already secured a strong finish for his team.

With Afghanistan finishing on 169, Sri Lanka's chase will be a test for their batting lineup against a spin-heavy Afghan bowling attack on a pitch that has shown signs of being tricky.

NSA