afghanistan But registered a resounding victory by 38 runs. west indies In the first T20I of the three-match series at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday, January 19. A brilliant batting performance under the leadership of Ibrahim Zadran. dervish rasuliThe disciplined bowling effort that followed helped Afghanistan take a 1-0 lead in the T20I series.
Ibrahim Zadran and Darwish Rasooli rescued Afghanistan from early setbacks
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Afghanistan suffered an immediate blow when wicketkeeper-batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz was run out on duck on the first ball. Early dismissals put the hosts under pressure for a while, but Ibrahim Zadran stood firm at one end and ensured Afghanistan did not lose their rhythm.
After losing Sediqullah Atal, Zadran found solid support in Darwish Rasooli and the pair put on a huge 162-run stand for the third wicket, which completely turned the game in Afghanistan’s favour. Zadran played a mature and controlled innings and remained unbeaten on 87 runs in 56 balls with the help of eight fours and three sixes. Rasooli gave him full support by scoring 84 runs in 59 balls with the help of eight fours and two sixes.
Their partnership not only stabilized the innings but also accelerated the scoring during the middle and death overs, helping Afghanistan score 181 for 3 in 20 overs.
As the Zadran-Rasulai partnership took shape, West Indies found it difficult to exert sustained pressure. While Jayden Seales and Matthew Ford took one wicket each, a lack of control from the rest of the attack allowed Afghanistan to maintain a healthy run rate.
Spinner Gudakesh Moti was the most economical, conceding just 18 runs in his four overs, but by the time he came into the attack the damage was already done.
Afghanistan’s spinners destroyed West Indies’ target
Chasing 182, West Indies were never able to hold on as Afghanistan’s bowlers struck early and consistently. Mujeeb Ur Rahman set the direction of the innings by dismissing both Brandon King and Johnson Charles in the powerplay.
The middle overs belonged to Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan, who took two important wickets for just 19 runs. His tight spells blocked the run flow and forced the West Indies batsmen to play risky shots.
He was supported by Ziaur Rehman Sharifi, who took three wickets, while Noor Ahmed took two more. West Indies collapsed at 143 runs for 9 wickets.
Afghanistan defeated West Indies in the first match of T20 series.#Cricket #AFGvWI #1st t20i pic.twitter.com/x3ICwe6cM3
– CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) 19 January 2026
Apart from brief resistance from Quentin Sampson and a late flourish from Moti, West Indies’ batting lacked cohesion. Early wickets exposed the middle order, and despite a short partnership between Matthew Ford and Moti, the required rate continued to rise.
Afghanistan’s bowlers maintained discipline, took advantage of the surface and applied consistent pressure, ensuring that the West Indies never posed a serious challenge.
Darwish Rasooli was adjudged Player of the Match for his brilliant batting and excellent catches.
night star ⭐🏅
Darwish Rasooli earned the Player of the Match award with his brilliant innings of 84 (59) runs with the help of three brilliant catches and 8 fours and 2 sixes. 👏🔥#AfghanAtlan | #AFGvWI | #GloriousNationVictoriousTeam pic.twitter.com/X1xvFrd0O1
– Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) 19 January 2026
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