Zadran-Rasooli's stand crushes West Indies as Afghanistan cruise to 38-run win in 1st T20I

AFG vs WI 1st T20I match report [Source: @ACBofficials/X.com]

Afghanistan began their T20I series against the West Indies with a commanding 38-run victory in the opening match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday.

Ibrahim Zaran and Darwish Rasooli set up a big partnership to guide Afghanistan to a big total, which eventually proved to be way too steep for the Windies, who struggled to get going against a world class spin attack.

Zadran-Rasooli got Afghanistan past 180 runs total

Opting to bat first, Afghanistan suffered an immediate setback as Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the proven opener, was run out off the very first delivery, leaving them without a run on the board. 

The early blow, however, did little to disturb their plans. Ibrahim Zadran walked in with calm intent and quickly took charge of the innings, ensuring Afghanistan rebuilt steadily inside the powerplay itself.

Sediqullah Atal tried to play positively but departed early, caught off Jayden Seales, leaving Afghanistan at 19/2. 

At that stage, the pressure was firmly on the batting side, but Zadran found the perfect partner in Darwish Rasooli. 

The pair stitched together a long and match-defining stand of 162 runs for the third wicket and shifted momentum back in Afghanistan’s favour. 

Zadran anchored the innings beautifully. Rasooli, on the other hand, provided the acceleration. Their partnership steadily wore down the West Indies attack, which struggled for control and consistency.

As the innings progressed, both batters increased the tempo. Zadran brought up his fifty, while Rasooli followed soon after, ensuring Afghanistan finished strongly. 

Courtesy of the duo’s record partnership, Afghanistan ended on an imposing total of 181/3. Zadran remained unbeaten on 87, while Rasooli scored a fluent 84, setting West Indies a challenging target.  

Afghanistan's spin attack wipes out the West Indies

West Indies began their chase with intent but lost Brandon King early to Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Evin Lewis struggled for timing and was dismissed during the powerplay, putting the Caribbean side on the back foot. 

Johnson Charles provided brief hope with a few attacking strokes, but his dismissal on 27 further dented the chase. 

Afghanistan’s spinners tightened the grip in the middle overs. Rashid Khan and Ziaur Rahman Sharifi bowled with discipline, picking up key wickets and never allowing the West Indies to settle. 

Shimron Hetmyer and Amir Jangoo were dismissed cheaply at 3 each, and the required run rate started rising sharply.

Quentin Sampson and later Matthew Forde tried to revive the innings, but Afghanistan’s bowling attack remained in control. Noor Ahmad’s left-arm spin proved effective, removing Forde and Gudakesh Motie at crucial moments. 

Although Motie contributed some boundaries late on, the run-chase had already gone out of reach.

West Indies eventually finished on 143/9, well short of the target. Afghanistan’s bowlers shared the spoils, with Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, and Sharifi all making important contributions. 

With that commanding 38-run win, Afghanistan have taken a 1-0 lead in the 3-game T20I series.