Mujeeb Ur Rahman hat-trick  powers Afghanistan to series win over WI; scripts new records

Mujeeb Ur Rahman scripts history against West Indies [Source: @ACBofficials/X.com]

Afghanistan beat West Indies by 39 runs in the second T20I to seal a 2-0 unassailable lead in the 3-game series. And the star of the night was none other than spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Batting first, Afghanistan put 189 runs on the board with Atal and Rasooli hitting 53 and 68 runs respectively. In the second inning, however, Afghan spinners didn’t let West Indies settle.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman picks historic hat-trick for Afghanistan

In the chase, Mujeeb Ur Rahman delivered a spell to remember, finishing with outstanding figures of 4 for 21.

The off-spinner first trapped Evin Lewis lbw with a quicker delivery that stayed low. On the very next ball, he bowled Johnson Charles with a beauty that drifted in and beat the bat.

At that stage, the West Indies were already under pressure at 38/3. Mujeeb then had to wait until his final over for a chance to complete the hat-trick. 

When he returned during the death overs, West Indies captain Brandon King, who was their top scorer, attempted a big hit and was caught at long-on, completing the rare feat. 

With that, Mujeeb Ur Rahman has become only the third Afghanistan bowler to pick a hat-trick in T20Is.

Hat-tricks for Afghanistan in T20Is:

• Rashid Khan vs Ireland, Dehradun, 2019
• Karim Janat vs Bangladesh, Sylhet, 2023
• Mujeeb Ur Rahman vs West Indies, Dubai (DICS), 2026

Mujeeb later added another wicket by bowling Quentin Sampson to cap off a brilliant spell.  

Mujeeb’s hat-trick against the West Indies in history

Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s achievement also placed him in an elite list of bowlers. He is only the second bowler to pick a hat-trick against West Indies in T20Is. 

Hat-tricks vs West Indies in T20Is:

• Akila Dananjaya (Sri Lanka), Antigua, 2021
• Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan), Dubai (DICS), 2026

Only Sri Lanka’s Akila Dananjaya had previously taken a T20I hat-trick against the West Indies before Mujeeb achieved the feat. Doing it on a big stage, with World Cup preparations underway, made it even more special for Afghanistan.

How did the match unfold?

Afghanistan scored a formidable 189/4 when West Indies opted to field after winning the toss. The innings saw an impressive partnership of 115 runs between Darwish Rasooli and Sediqullah Atal.

Rasooli followed up his fifty in the first match with a fluent 68 off 39 balls, while Atal played with confidence to score 53. Even after suffering early losses of openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, Afghanistan never once lost control.

Rasooli and Atal dealt well with pace as well as spin, keeping the scoreboard ticking. Late runs from Azmatullah Omarzai, who smashed an unbeaten 26 off 13 balls, pushed the total well beyond the West Indies’ comfort zone. 

In response, the West Indies struggled to build partnerships. Brandon King scored a steady 50, and Shimron Hetmyer briefly threatened with a rapid 46 off 17 balls, but regular wickets kept the chase in check. 

Fazalhaq Farooqi and Omarzai supported Mujeeb well as Afghanistan bowled out the West Indies for 150 runs in 18.5 overs.

The win sealed the series 2-0 for Afghanistan, giving them confidence, momentum, and belief as they head into the T20 World Cup.