Can Pakistan make it three wins in three? © AFP
Pakistan home
It got interesting for a bit there, with Pakistan needing 24 runs off the last 2 overs. They had just lost Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik but Asif Ali came in and blasted 25* off 7 balls, hitting 4 sixes in the 19th over.
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Babar gets fifty, Pakistan on track
22nd T20I fifty for Babar, his third in the last four innings. It's been another typical innings from him - all calm and poise. Can he and Malik take Pakistan home?
Mujeeb gets Rizwan early
Takes Mujeeb on with the angle with a slog sweep but finds the fielder in the deep. Afghanistan have their early breakthrough!
Quick runs in slog overs
Nabi and Naib added 71 off the last 45 balls, hitting 9 fours and a six to take Afghanistan to 147/6. Both finish with an individual score of 35* and have put together a score that could challenge Pakistan. Of course they are nowhere near the total they would have liked to put after opting to bat, but if there's no significant dew, the two spinners could make it interesting.
More wickets
Everyone into the wickets. Hasan Ali gets rid of Gurbaz, who top-edges a pull to mid on. Imad Wasim then gets Karim Janat top-edging a sweep and Shadab Khan then has Najubullah caught behind. It's starting to look from bad to worse for Afghanistan.
Early wickets for Pakistan
And Pakistan doing what they have been doing for the last two games. Imad Wasim first gets Zazai top-edging to third man and then Afridi gets Shahzad caught at mid-on. Haris Rauf, with his magic, then has Asghar Afghan caught and bowled. Uff, we have seen this before.
Toss: Afghanistan opt to bat in Dubai
Interesting tactic from Afghanistan who become the first team to win toss and opt to bat in Dubai. So Pakistan get to chase for the third time in a row, except that they will be doing that against the spin twins from Afghanistan. It'll be interesting to see how the dew comes into play. Both teams are unchanged!
Prelude - An Afghanistan-shaped challenge for high-flying Pakistan
A night before India and New Zealand players hit the nets in the lead up to their clash, a lot of them are likely to spend a couple of hours tonight watching this Group 2 clash between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the result of which could have a bigger impact on them and their fortunes. India and New Zealand have both started with a defeat, while Pakistan have picked all four points available to them and Afghanistan have absolutely obliterated Scotland in their only game of the tournament so far. A win for Afghanistan would not just mean that Pakistan's wings are clipped a bit, but also that two teams will be on four points in the group (and with Namibia on 2) with India and New Zealand still chasing their first win. One defeat shouldn't crank up the pressure ideally, but such is the format of this tournament.
A little about the two teams tonight - Pakistan perhaps start as absolute favourites after two impressive outings against India and New Zealand. Safe to say they've crossed their biggest hurdles of the group already, but Afghanistan in the conditions and dimensions of Dubai can be a pesky opposition. There's a sense of all-round clinicality to Pakistan's approach, while Afghanistan bring along an admirable nonchalance with the bat and ruthlessness with the ball. Only thing going against Afghanistan is the fact that tonight's opposition will be a far sterner test for them than Scotland were.
Evening games continue to be dictated by teams bowling first as Pakistan have shown in both their victories. If Nabi can pip Babar Azam at the toss, we could be in for a fascinating game considering the murderous intent that Hazratullah Zazai and Mohammad Shahzad usually come armed with.