UAE vs AFG Ball by Ball Commentary

FOUR! Najibullah Zadran finishes things off in style! Basil Hameed floats this up, short and on middle, Najibullah Zadran moves back and hammers it over mid on for a boundary. AFGHANISTAN WIN BY 5 WICKETS AND TAKES A 1-0 LEAD!

Zawar Farid nails the yorker, on middle, Rashid Khan backs away, but only manages to jam it out back towards the bowler where Zawar Farid dives to hid right to stop it.

SCORES LEVEL! Zawar Farid pulls his length back a bit and outside off, Najibullah Zadran slices it towards third man for a run. There is a bit of a fumble, but no harm done.

Pitched up, on middle, Rashid Khan hoicks it off the inner half through square leg for a single.

Full and on off, Rashid Khan drives it wide of sweeper covers for a couple of runs.

OUT! TAKEN! Zawar Farid gets a wicket! Karim Janat tries to finish it off with a big shot, but holes out instead. This is a slower delivery, full and outside off, Karim Janat swings hard, but only manages to slice it up in the air as he goes through his shot early. Rohan Mustafa at point settles under it and takes it on the second attempt as it fumbles in his hands.

On a length and on middle, Karim Janat looks to play at it, but gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball rolls towards point.

Short and on middle, Karim Janat pulls it towards deep mid-wicket for just a run.

Back of a length and outside off, Karim Janat steers it past the diving point fielder and wide of third man for a brace. Afghanistan one big hit away from victory now.

A slower delivery now, short and outside off, Najibullah Zadran waits for it and cuts it towards deep point for a run.

SIX! BOOM! Najibullah Zadran clears the fence now! Zahoor Khan serves this full and outside off, Najibullah Zadran frees his arms and smashes it over the deep extra cover fence for a biggie.

Short of a length and on off, Najibullah Zadran gets hurried by the extra bounce, but manages to keep it down towards point. Karim Janat wants the run, but he is sent back and rightly so.

Fuller one and on off, Najibullah Zadran drives it towards mid off.

Short of a length and around leg, Najibullah Zadran goes for the pull, but gloves it towards the short fine leg region. They cross. 15 needed in 18 balls now!

FIFTY FOR JANAT! This is pitched up, on off, Karim Janat drills it towards sweeper cover for one. This has been a brilliant knock from him and now he will try to stay till the end and finish the job for his team.

Fuller again and on middle, Karim Janat clips it towards deep square leg for a couple of runs.

Swing and a miss! Muhammad Jawadullah serves this touch fuller and on off, angling away, Karim Janat goes for the big heave, but fails to connect as the ball just goes past the off pole.

Short of a length and on middle, Najibullah Zadran pulls it towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

Muhammad Jawadullah bangs in a bouncer now, on middle, Najibullah Zadran ducks under it. The umpire signals one for the over.

Back of a length and on off, angling in, Najibullah Zadran cuts it punches it towards deep point for one more. Afghanistan need 20 runs in 24 balls now!

Junaid Siddique bangs in a bouncer, on off, Najibullah Zadran ducks under it.

A slower one now, short and on off, Karim Janat waits for it and pulls it towards deep sqaure leg for another run.

On a length and on off, Najibullah Zadran pushes it through covers for a run.

Fuller one and on off, Karim Janat drives it towards mid off and scampers across for a single. The fielder misses his shy at the bowler's end, but it would have been close if that hit.

FOUR! Up and over! Junaid Siddique lands this short and outside off, Karim Janat rocks back and cuts it over point for a boundary.

OUT! CAUGHT! Muhammad Jawadullah strikes against the run of play here. A dagger through the heart of Afsar Zazai. He holes out on 48 and misses out on his maiden T20I half-century. It is a short ball, on middle and leg. Afsar Zazai whips hard across the line but does not middle it. Chundangapoyil Rizwan takes a sharp flying catch to his left at short mid-wicket. Is there a twist in the tale?

Afsar Zazai presses forward to this full ball and blocks it to cover.

Fraction short, on leg. Zazai drags his pull shot to the right of mid on. Still 2 runs short of his half-ton.

Full length, on off. Janat drives it to cover where the fielder misfields and they take a single.

Karim Janat stays back to this length ball and works it through point. They take two runs.

SIX! Karim Janat stands and delivers this time. A short ball, on off. Janat stands tall and dispatches it over the cow corner fence.

This is full, tailing into the pads. Zazai jams it out to the right of the bowler.

It is fuller, on off. Janat lofts it over point. The batters are happy with just a single here.

Fraction short. Karim Janat gets it to mid off.

A length ball, around middle and leg. Zazai goes back and knocks it to mid on. The batters jog for one.

A length ball, on middle. Zazai goes back and flicks it square on the leg side. These two are quick between the wicket. Two more taken.

Good length, in the channel. Zazai gets it to the right of third man off the outside edge. The batters take two runs.

Good length,on middle. Afsar Zazai drags his pull shot to mid-wicket. The batters take a single.

A length ball, on off. Janat pushes it to cover and gets a single.

FOUR! Just short of the fielder in the deep. A bit short, on the body. Karim Janat hoicks it to deep square leg. The fielder makes a meal of it and it goes over the boundary.

A length ball, angled across. Karim Janat makes some room but finds the fielder at point.

Afsar Zazai now charges down the track for the full one and plays it to long on for one more.

Karim Janat stays back to this length ball and punches it to sweeper cover for a single.

It is flat and on off. Janat stands tall and knocks it to mid off. They take a single.

Afsar Zazai now stays back to this full one and flicks it to mid-wicket. They cross for one.

Fuller, on leg. Janat clips it to the leg side for one.

Karim Janat hangs back and punches it through the lines. It goes to cover. They take two.

A single now as Zazai pushes this full ball to covers.

Darted on the pads, Zazai nudges it to square leg for two runs.

SIX! BANG! Back of a length, on off. Janat swivels and smokes it over the mid-wicket fence for a maximum.

Length ball, on off. Janat defends it out watchfully.

SIX! Karim Janat gets enough power on it to beat the fielder. It is fuller, on off. Janat gets under it and lofts it towards long off. Basil Hameed leaps near the ropes but is unable to pouch it. The ball goes over him and lands into the rope.

A single now as this is eased down to mid on.

Floated and full, outside off. Zazai pushes it out to covers.

Flat and on off. Karim Janat knocks it down to mid on and crosses.

Tossed up, full and on middle, Karim Janat lofts it towards long on for one more.

Shortish and on off, Afsar Zazai moves back and punches it towards long off for one.

Darts this one full and on middle, angling in, Afsar Zazai makes room, but misitmes his drive back to the bowler.

A bit short and on middle, Afsar Zazai turns it towards short mid-wicket.

Tossed up, full and off, Karim Janat drives it towards long off for a run.

Floated, short and on middle, Afsar Zazai moves back and flicks it through square leg for a single.

Fuller again and on middle, angling in, Afsar Zazai misses his flick as the ball goes to the leg side off his pads. A leg bye is taken.

EDGED AGAIN AND FOUR AGAIN! Zahoor Khan is an unlucky man! He serves this full and on middle, shaping away a bit, Afsar Zazai gets another outside edge while playing the drive and the ball goes through the slip region for four more runs. However, there is still no slip fielder.

EDGED AND FOUR! Zahoor Khan bowls this on a good length and on middle, shaping away, Afsar Zazai looks to push it away, but gets an outside edge past the keeper and towards the third man fence for a boundary.

Run out chance....missed! Zahoor Khan pulls his length back a bit, on off, Karim Janat drives taps it uppishly but on the bounce towards mid off and sets off for the run. The fielder misses his shy at the bowler's end as Janat puts in a desperate dive in. It would not have saved him if that was a direct hit.

Fuller one and on off, Karim Janat knocks it towards short covers.

Overpitched and on middle, Afsar Zazai clips it towards deep square leg for a single.

Flighted, full and on middle, Karim Janat makes room and pushes it towards short covers.

Pushed through quicker, full and around off, Karim Janat drives it wide of sweeper covers for a brace.

Floated, full and on middle, Karim Janat mistimes his drive towards short mid-wicket.

Angles this one into the batter, short and on leg, Karim Janat punches it towards covers.

Flatter, full and on middle, Afsar Zazai knocks it towards long on for a run.

Aayan Khan starts with a tossed up delivery, full and on off, Karim Janat drills it towards long off for a single.

Touch fuller and on middle, Karim Janat works it towards long on for one.

Zahoor Khan bowls this on a hard length and on middle, angling in, Karim Janat misses his flick and gets hit on the pads. There is an appeal for LBW, but turned down. It looked like it was going down the leg side.

Fuller one and on off, Afsar Zazai drives it towards long off for a run.

On a length and on off, Karim Janat pushes it through cover-point for a single and gets off the mark.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Zahoor Khan strikes! A huge wicket for United Arab Emirates! Zahoor Khan lands this on a hard length and on middle, shaping away a bit, Ibrahim Zadran uses his feet and tries to guide it away, but only manages to get an outside edge towards the keeper where Vriitya Aravind takes a fine catch moving to his right. Afghanistan three down now!

BEATEN! Zahoor Khan serves this full and around off, shaping away, Ibrahim Zadran tries to drive on the up, but gets beaten on the outside edge.

SIX! BANG! Afsar Zazai goes big now! Muhammad Jawadullah bangs this short and on middle, Afsar Zazai picks up the length early, swivels and pulls it way over the deep square leg fence for a biggie. Afghanistan are on 48/2 at the end of the Powerplay!

Goes a touch fuller and around off, Ibrahim Zadran taps it in front of covers for a run.

Back of a length and outside off, Afsar Zazai punches it towards deep point for a single.

This is on a good length and on off, slower too, Afsar Zazai guides it towards point.

Short of a length and outside off again, Afsar Zazai times his cut perfectly, but finds the point fielder.

FOUR! Afsar Zazai welcomes Muhammad Jawadullah to international cricket with a boundary. This is short and wide outside off, Afsar Zazai stays there and cuts it hard through point for four runs.

Length ball, on the pads. Zazai hangs back and flicks it behind square on the leg side. They take a single.

This is outside off, on a length, left alone.

Khan angles it in, full and outside off. The ball lands and swings away sharply. Afsar Zazai steps across and tries to defend it out but misses.

FOUR! EDGY! A good-length ball, on fourth stump. It nips away off the deck. Afsar Zazai gets it down to third man off the outside edge and gets a boundary.

Full length, on fifth stump. Zadran guides it down to third man for a single.

Back of a length, outside off. Zadran cuts it to cover.

A length ball, on off. Zazai defends it out watchfully. Sanchit Sharma has done well to pull things back after being hit for six on the second delivery.

WIDE! Very full, wide of off. Afsar Zazai lets it be. The ball swings further away. It goes past the tramline. Wide called.

Full length, wide of off. swinging away. Afsar Zazai shoulders his arms at it.

A short ball, outside off. Zazai latches on to it and cuts it to point.

A length ball, outside off, it nips in off the deck. Afsar Zazai gets an inside edge to the left of the keeper.

SIX! This should certainly boost his confidence. It is a full-length ball, on off. Zazai dances down the track and smokes it over the wide long on fence for a maximum.

This is a length ball, that lands outside off and nips in a touch. Afsar Zazai makes a leave, a risky one I would say.

A length ball, on off. Afsar Zazai pushes it out and gets off the mark with a single. Another successful over from Junaid Siddique comes to an end.

OUT! CAUGHT! Junaid Siddique strikes again. Afghanistan lose both their openers. Rahmanullah Gurbaz tries to take the aerial route once again but holes out this time. It is a short ball, outside off. Rahmanullah Gurbaz shuffles across and pulls it to deep mid-wicket. He does not get the desired distance on it. Basil Hameed takes a sharp catch in the deep.

SIX! BANG! A full-length ball, outside off. Rahmanullah Gurbaz dances down the track and launches it over the mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz hangs back and punches this length ball through the cover region for two runs.

A length ball, moving away from outside off. Rahmanullah Gurbaz shuffles and leaves it alone.

Junaid Siddique bends his back hard and serves a short ball, in the channel. The ball flies off the deck. Rahmanullah Gurbaz makes a good leave.

A peach of a delivery to end the over with. It is a length ball, on fourth stump. Zadran shuffles and has a feel for it but gets beaten by the away turn here.

FOUR! Ibrahim Zadran gets the first boundary of the chase. It is a length ball, wide of off. It gets some extra bounce off the deck. Zadran frees his arms and crunches it through cover-point for a fine boundary.

Much fuller, on off. Zadran dabs it out to safety.

Length and on off, defended out watchfully.

Fraction short, outside off. Ibrahim Zadran shuffles, opens the face late and guides it down to third man for two runs.

Length ball, outside off. Gurbaz dabs it to short third man for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT! Junaid Siddique draws first blood. It is a huge wicket for United Arab Emirates. Hazratullah Zazai walks back on just one run. United Arab Emirates are off to an ideal start with the ball. It is a length ball, outside off. Hazratullah Zazai stands tall and tries to smack it through the line. He does not time his shot well and it chips to mid off. Muhammad Waseem takes a sitter there.

Edgy! It is a length ball, on fifth stump. Hazratullah Zazai gets an inside edge on it, but thankfully the ball goes past the stumps. The ball goes to short third.

Full and on leg. Gurbaz strokes it towards mid on. The batters take a single.

Junaid Siddique serves a length ball, on off. Rahmanullah Gurbaz presses forward and blocks it into the deck.

FIVE WIDES! It is full, down the leg side. It is lands and goes further away and out of the wicket-keeper's reach. It runs down to the fine leg fence.

Junaid Siddique goes a bit short, close to off stump. Hazratullah Zazai is cramped for room. He works it to backward point for a single.

A length ball, on off. Zazai stays back and taps it out.