Pakistan thrashed Afghanistan by 75 runs in the final at Sharjah to win the UAE tri-series that also featured the hosts. Here are the marks out of 10 for Pakistan.
Salman Ali Agha - 5/10
M: 5 | 109 runs at 27.25, SR 118, HS: 53*, 1 fifty | 2-0-11-0
Salman’s rapid fifty helped Pakistan beat Afghanistan in the tournament opener, but he did little else of note. However, he deserves some credit for leading Pakistan to the title triumph after the selectors caused a stir by leaving out Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
Fakhar Zaman - 5/10
M: 5 | 155 runs at 38.75, SR 138, HS: 77*, 1 fifty
Fakhar finished as Pakistan’s leading run-scorer, but nearly half his runs came in their dead-rubber game against the UAE. However, the 26-ball 27 was the top score in a final where both sides found scoring difficult.
Mohammad Nawaz - 9/10
M: 5 | 120 runs at 30.00, SR 133, HS: 37* | 10 wickets at 11.70, ec 6.88, BBI: 5-19, 1 5WI
Nawaz had five wickets even before the final: he doubled that tally and added a hat-trick for good measure. With the bat, he contributed in the middle overs or at the death in four of the five games, and was easily Pakistan’s best player of the tournament.
Saim Ayub - 4.5/10
M: 5 | 111 runs at 22.20, SR 132, HS: 69, 1 fifty | 2 wickets at 42.00, ec 6.00, BBI: 1-6
Ayub was brilliant during his fifty against the UAE, but had an ordinary tournament otherwise. Gets half a point for rising to the challenge when Pakistan used him as a new-ball bowler against Afghanistan: his 4-0-18-1 was the most economical spell from either side.
Hassan Nawaz - 4/10
M: 5 | 93 runs at 18.60, SR 143, HS: 56, 1 fifty | Ct: 5
A rare T20 purist in Pakistan, Hassan Nawaz’s overall tournament numbers were boosted by a 26-ball 56 against the UAE. His time will come.
Faheem Ashraf - 4/10
M: 5 | 59 runs at 14.75, SR 144, HS: 16 | 4 wickets at 17.00, ec 8.50, BBI: 4-27 | Ct: 5
All of Faheem’s tournament wickets came in one spell against Afghanistan. He never really got going with the bat, though like Hassan Nawaz, he held five catches.
Sahibzada Farhan - 3/10
M: 5 | 63 runs at 12.60, SR 150, HS: 21
Farhan got three rapid starts in five innings, and that included two against Afghanistan. As with Hassan Nawaz, he is someone Pakistan are willing to back.
Hassan Ali - 1/10
M: 1 | 3 wickets at 15.67, ec 11.75, BBI: 3-47
Hassan Ali bowled expensive spell in his only game, against the UAE. Two of his three wickets came in the final over, after the game was all but dusted.
Mohammad Haris - 1/10
M: 5 | 33 runs at 6.60, SR 85, HS: 15 | Ct: 3, St: 2
Another player whom Pakistan are willing to back, Haris had a forgettable tournament.
Salman Mirza - 1/10
M: 2 | 1 wicket at 74.00, ec 9.25, BBI: 1-43
Mirza failed to make an impression in his two games, both of which were against the UAE. He will need to be better to become a first-choice pick.
Shaheen Shah Afridi - 8/10
M: 4 | 4 wickets at 19.50, ec 5.57, BBI: 2-21
Excellent without being sensational, Shaheen went for under a run a ball in three of his four games and at 6.75 in the other.
Haris Rauf - 5/10
M: 2 | 4 wickets at 17.25, ec 10.09, BBI: 4-31
The probing Rauf broke through four times in his first game against Afghanistan, but – barring a slog towards the end – had a forgettable second outing against the same opposition.
Sufiyan Muqeem - 5/10
M: 4 | 4 wickets at 27.75, ec 8.02, BBI: 2-9
Muqeem had an excellent tournament opener against Afghanistan, but did little of note since then.
Abrar Ahmed - 8/10
M: 2 | 6 wickets at 4.33, ec 3.25, BBI: 4-9
Abrar’s 4-9 came in the UAE dead-rubber match. Entrusted with the new ball in his only other match, the final, he was excellent for his 4-0-17-2.
