Pakistan laid down a marker ahead of the Asia Cup as Mohammad Nawaz took a hat-trick in a 75-run win over Afghanistan in their tri-series final in Sharjah on Sunday.

Nawaz picked up 5-19 in total – his best figures in T20 internationals – as Pakistan skittled Afghanistan out for 66 in 15.5 overs while defending a modest 142-run target on a tricky pitch.

Afghan captain Rashid Khan took three wickets to help restrict Pakistan to 141-8, with Fakhar Zaman top-scoring with 27.

Winners of the UAE Tri-Series 2025 🏆🇵🇰

Pakistan claim the title with a dominant 75-run victory in the Final at Sharjah ✨#BackTheBoysInGreen | #PAKvAFG pic.twitter.com/N7I1VqjOrL

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 7, 2025

Nawaz dismissed Darwish Rasooli and Azmatullah Omarzai off successive deliveries for ducks and then removed Ibrahim Zadran for nine off the first ball of his next over to complete a hat-trick.

Nawaz became the third Pakistani bowler after Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Hasnain to achieve the feat in T20Is.

🏅 Mohammad Nawaz is Player of the Match for his match-winning spell in the Final 🌟#BackTheBoysInGreen | #PAKvAFG pic.twitter.com/VuR30RaeQj

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 7, 2025

Rashid (17) and Sediqullah Atal (13) were the only batters to reach double figures as Afghanistan recorded their second lowest total in T20Is, behind their 56 all out against South Africa in last year's World Cup semifinals.

"We wanted to prepare in a way that helps us for the Asia Cup and we've done that," said Pakistan skipper Salman Agha.

"We've been doing really well since the Bangladesh home series. Finally, we're in very good shape and fully prepared for the Asia Cup."

Earlier, Pakistan, who won the toss and batted, also struggled against spin.

Nawaz made a 21-ball 25 with two sixes while Agha laboured to a 27-ball 24.

Zaman added 49 for the second wicket with Saim Ayub (17) after opener Sahibzada Farhan fell off the third ball of the match for a duck.

Rashid dismissed Zaman in his first over and then accounted for Hasan Nawaz (15) and Agha, but only after his opposite number struck him for two sixes.

Afghanistan next open their Asia Cup campaign on Tuesday against Hong Kong in a Group B clash in Abu Dhabi. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are the other two teams in their group.

Pakistan will face arch-rivals India, Oman and the United Arab Emirates in Group A.

Pace bowler Fareed Ahmad kept cool in the last over on Friday to foil Asif Khan's aggressive hitting as a depleted Afghanistan beat the United Arab Emirates by four runs in a tri-series match.

After Asif opened the final over with a four, a six and a two, Ahmad beat the bat with the next two balls. Asif needed to find the boundary off the last ball but was caught as Afghanistan held on to win at the Sharjah stadium.

Afghanistan, already sure of facing Pakistan in Saturday's final, rested six of their main players, including skipper Rashid Khan, veteran Mohammad Nabi and in-form opener Sediqullah Atal.

Afghanistan made 170 for four before restricting the UAE to 166 for five in their 20 overs.

Afghanistan's stand-in skipper Ibrahim Zadran won the toss and batted.

With Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Zadran put on 98 for the first wicket in 12 overs.

Zadran hit 48 in a 35-ball knock that contained three sixes and as many fours.

Gurbaz smashed three fours and a six in his 38-ball innings before both the openers fell off successive deliveries.

Kariam Janat made a 14-ball 28 with three sixes and a boundary, and Gulbadin Naib scored a 13-ball 20 not out as Afghanistan hit 56 runs in the last five overs.

Left-arm spinner Haider Ali was the best UAE bowler with 2-23.

For the hosts, Muhammad Waseem scored a 29-ball 44 with three sixes and two fours, while Asif made a valiant 28-ball 40 with two sixes and four fours.

Fakhar Zaman cracked a robust 77 and spinner Abrar Ahmed registered career-best figures as Pakistan reached the T20I tri-series final with a 31-run win over United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

Zaman hit an aggressive 44-ball 77 not out for his 12th T20I half century while Mohammad Nawaz smashed an undefeated 27-ball 37 to revive Pakistan from 80-5 Pakistan to 171-5 in their 20 overs.

Abrar then grabbed 4-9 in four economical overs to restrict UAE to 140-7 with opener Alishan Sharafu fighting a lone hand, scoring a steady 51-ball 68.

Sharafu hit four sixes and as many fours.

📸 Glimpses from the 2nd innings #PAKvUAE!

🏆 Pakistan to face Afghanistan in the Tri-Nation Series Final this Sunday at Sharjah Cricket Stadium 🏟️#BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/D0CvdM6IW2

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 4, 2025

The win, Pakistan's third in four games, not only took Pakistan to Sunday's final but also ensured Afghanistan who face the hosts in the last group on Friday, would advance.

UAE's power-hitters Muhammad Waseem fell for 19 and Asif Khan for seven as UAE suffered their third defeat in as many games.

Abrar's previous best of 3-19 came against Bangladesh in Lahore earlier this year.

🌟 Abrar Ahmed shines with career-best figures of 4/9 in T20I🏏🔥#BackTheBoysInGreen | #PAKvUAE pic.twitter.com/YgrD9601L5

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 4, 2025

Earlier, Pakistan lost five wickets for just 80 runs in 11.3 overs after they won the toss and batted.

Openers Saim Ayub scored 11 and Sahibzada Farhan made 16.

Skipper Salman Agha hit seven, Mohammad Haris 14 and Hasan Nawaz four.

Zaman and Nawaz added 91 off 51 balls for the sixth wicket to put the innings back on track.

🌟 Record stand! @FakharZamanLive & @mnawaz94 add 91* off 51 balls – Pakistan’s highest 6th-wicket partnership, surpassing Iftikhar & Shadab’s 82 🏏🔥#BackTheBoysInGreen | #PAKvUAE pic.twitter.com/T4N0vRLuwJ

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 4, 2025

It was Zaman's first half century in 14 innings since a match against Ireland at Dublin in May last year.

Zaman's knock contained two sixes and ten fours. Nawaz hit two sixes and three fours.

The pair launched vicious late attack, with 74 coming off the last five overs and 42 off the last two.

Nawaz smashed three fours and a six in Junaid Siddique's penultimate over while Zaman cracked five consecutive boundaries off Muhammad Jawadullah's last over.

Spinner Haider Ali was the most successful home bowler with 2-17.

Afghanistan's veteran spinner Mohammad Nabi reached 100 wickets in Twenty20 internationals as he helped his team beat Pakistan by 18 runs in a tri-series match in Sharjah on Tuesday.

Pakistan had won the first meeting between the teams in the competition by 31 runs.

On Tuesday, Nabi grabbed 2-20 to help restrict Pakistan to 151-9 as they chased 169.

𝐀𝐟𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐧! 🙌#AfghanAtalan have put on a clinical bowling performance to successfully defend their total and win the game by 18 runs. @rashidkhan_19 (2/30), @noor_ahmad_15 (2/20), @MohammadNabi007 (2/20), and @fazalfarooqi10 (2/21) all produced excellent… pic.twitter.com/JI5TSwNc0v

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) September 2, 2025

Ibrahim Zadran's 45-ball 65 and Sediqullah Atal's brisk 64 helped Afghanistan to 169-5 in their 20 overs despite Pakistan paceman Faheem Ashraf's career best 4-27.

𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐬: 𝟔𝟓
𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬: 𝟒𝟓
𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬: 𝟖
𝐒𝐢𝐱𝐞𝐬: 𝟏
𝐒. 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟏𝟒𝟒.𝟒𝟒@IZadran18 put on a fine batting effort to grab the PoTM award! 🤩🏅#AFGvPAK | #GloriousNationVictoriousTeam | #WeStandwithKunar pic.twitter.com/zIRzt6BYdu

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) September 2, 2025

Ashraf's previous best of 3-5 was against Scotland at Edinburgh in 2018.

In reply, Pakistan briefly looked on course to chase down the target with Fakhar Zaman scoring an 18-ball 25 in his 100th T20I but Nabi dismissed him and Mohammad Haris, for oner, to end all hopes.

𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝟒
𝐃𝐨𝐭𝐬: 𝟏𝟏
𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐬: 𝟐𝟎
𝐖𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬: 𝟐
𝐄. 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟓.𝟎𝟎

The President @MohammadNabi007 was sensational with the ball tonight against Pakistan! 👊👏#AfghanAtalan | #AFGvPAK | #GloriousNationVictoriousTeam pic.twitter.com/Ty4dAxIoD8

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) September 2, 2025

Tail-ender Haris Rauf top-scored with 34 not out, hitting four sixes off 16 balls.

Spinner Rashid Khan, until Tuesday the only Afghanistan bowler to take 100 or more T20I wickets, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Noor Ahmad all took two wickets.

Before the T20 international, players observed a minute of silence for the victims of natural disasters in their countries: an earthquake which has killed more than 1 400 in Afghanistan and the deadly floods in Pakistan.

Two thirds of the way through the three-nation tournament, that also includes hosts United Arab Emirates, Pakistan lead the table with Afghanistan second.

After a rest day on Wednesday, Pakistan face the winless UAE on Thursday. The group stage ends with the hosts taking on Afghanistan.

The top two teams play in the final on 7 September.

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AFGHANISTAN: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wkt), Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Ibrahim Zadran, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (capt), Darwish Rasooli, Allah Ghazanfar, Noor Lakanwal, Fazalhaq Farooqi

PAKISTAN: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Agha Salman (capt), Hassan Nawaz, Muhammad Haris (wkt), Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem

Ace spinner Rashid Khan became the highest wicket-taker in Twenty20 internationals as he helped Afghanistan beat United Arab Emirates by 38 runs in Sharjah on Monday.

 

The wily 26-year-old took 3-21 – reaching 165 wickets in his 98th T20I – to derail UAE from 90-2 to 150-8 in 20 overs after setting them 189 to win in the tri-series match.

𝐀 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐝 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐧! 🚩@rashidkhan_19 has reached a remarkable milestone by completing 165 wickets in T20 internationals, making him the leading wicket-taker in this format. He surpasses Tim Southee (164) to claim the title… pic.twitter.com/NLwnpAj3gx

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) September 1, 2025

Afghanistan's total of 188-4 was built around a brilliant 40-ball 63 from Ibrahim Zadran and a 40-ball 54 by Sediqullah Atal as they came back after losing to Pakistan in their first game.

UAE captain Muhammad Waseem scared Afghanistan with a rapid-fire 37-ball 67, comprising six maximums and four boundaries in his 23rd T20I half-century.

But Waseem's departure sparked a collapse as Rashid dismissed Ethan D'Souza (12), Asif Khan (one) and Dhruv Parashar (one) to overhaul New Zealand pacer Tim Southee's T20I record of 164 wickets in 126 games.

Afghanistan owed their total to Zadran and Atal as they added 84 for the second wicket after being put in to bat.

Atal's maiden T20I fifty had four boundaries and three sixes, while Zadran knocked four sixes and three hits to the rope.

Karim Janat hit two sixes and as many boundaries in his 10-ball 23 not out while Azmatullah Omarzai's undefeated 12-ball 20 contained two sixes.

Muhammad Rohid and Saghir Khan grabbed two wickets apiece for UAE.

Afghanistan Beat the UAE to Register 1st Tri-Nation Series Victory@IZadran18 (63) and Sediqullah Atal (54) both scored half-centuries, while @rashidkhan_19 (3/21) and @sharafuddinAS (3/24) delivered standout performances with the ball to lead AfghanAtalan to a comprehensive… pic.twitter.com/v3XBv0KZEW

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) September 1, 2025

Pakistan, who won both their matches in the tri-series, face Afghanistan on Tuesday.

All three teams play each other twice with the top two disputing the 7 September final.

Saim Ayub and Hasan Nawaz struck half-centuries as Pakistan thumped the United Arab Emirates by 31 runs in Sharjah on Saturday, making it two wins from two in their T20 tri-series also featuring Afghanistan.

Opener Ayub smashed a 38-ball 69, with four sixes and seven fours, while Nawaz's 26-ball 56 included six maximums, lifting Pakistan to 207 all out in exactly 20 overs.

Asif Khan threatened to snatch an unlikely win for the UAE with a brilliant 35-ball 77 before falling in the last over.

The UAE managed 176 for eight from their 20 overs.

Skipper Muhammad Waseem also hit a breezy 18-ball 33 but was run out in the sixth over.

Earlier, Pakistan's innings was built around the excellence of Ayub and Nawaz after they won the toss and batted first.

Once Pakistan lost Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, and skipper Salman Agha cheaply, it was left to Ayub and Hasan to provide the rescue acts.

Ayub's fourth T20I half-century came off just 25 balls while Nawaz's fifty was reached in 24 deliveries with a hat-trick of sixes off spinner Haider Ali.

Nawaz added 57 for the fifth wicket off just 25 balls with Mohammad Nawaz, who added a 15-ball 25.

Faheem Ashraf chipped in with 16 as Pakistan clubbed 64 in the last five overs.

Junaid Siddique and Saghir Khan grabbed three wickets apiece, but were both expensive.

Afghanistan, who lost to Pakistan by 39 runs on Friday, face the UAE in the next match on Monday.

Skipper Salman Agha hit an unbeaten half century and fast bowler Haris Rauf grabbed four wickets as Pakistan upstaged Afghanistan by 39 runs in the tri-series opener in Sharjah on Friday.

 

Agha hit a 36-ball 53 not out with three sixes and as many boundaries which lifted Pakistan to 182-7 in their 20 overs.

Pacers Rauf took 4-31 and Shaheen Afridi 2-21, while spinners Mohammad Nawaz (2-23) and Sufiyan Muqeem (2-25) dismissed Afghanistan for 143 in 19.5 overs before a noisy capacity 16 000 crowd at the Sharjah stadium.

Afghanistan matched Pakistan with opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 27-ball 38 with a six and three boundaries, adding 51 for the second wicket with Sediqullah Atal, who made 23.

It was Rauf who changed the game with a two-wicket 12th over sending Atal and Karim Janat back without conceding a run.

Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan smashed five sixes and a four in his whirlwind 16-ball 39 but fell to Rauf to end his team's fight.

Earlier, Pakistan was lifted by Agha's fourth T20I half century.

Agha anchored the innings admirably well after opener Sahibzada Farhan smashed two sixes and a boundary in his 10-ball 21 after Pakistan won the toss and batted.

Agha added 53 for the fifth wicket with Nawaz whose 11-ball 21 had two sixes and a boundary as the duo helped Pakistan get 51 runs in the last five overs.

Pakistan play hosts United Arab Emirates on Saturday.

All three teams face other each other twice with the top two playing the 7 September 7.

Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates will participate in a tri-series of Twenty20 international matches to tune up for next month's Asia Cup followed by the World Cup next year.

"The tri-series will feature teams from Pakistan, Afghanistan and the UAE from 29 August to 7 September at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium," the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Friday.

The T20I tournament will serve as a launching pad for the teams to prepare for the Asian Cricket Council's T20 Asia Cup, scheduled to take place in the UAE from September 9 to 28, it added.

India and Sri Lanka will co-host the Twenty20 World Cup in February-March next year.

The opening match of the tri-series tournament will be played between Afghanistan and Pakistan on August 29.

Each team will play the others twice, giving all sides at least four matches before the top two teams qualify for the final, scheduled on 7 September.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE (all matches at Sharjah Cricket Stadium):

29 August – Afghanistan v Pakistan

30 August – UAE v Pakistan

1 September – UAE v Afghanistan

2 September – Pakistan v Afghanistan

4 September – Pakistan v UAE

5 September – Afghanistan v UAE

7 September – Final