Afghanistan, led by star spinner Rashid Khan, is being widely considered the favorite heading into a Twenty20 tri-series in the UAE, starting Friday. The tournament, also involving Pakistan and hosts UAE, serves as preparation for next month’s Asia Cup.

Afghanistan’s recent record strengthens its claim. The team reached last year’s T20 World Cup semifinals, highlighting its dominance in the shortest format. Over the next 10 days, seven games will be played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, with the top two sides advancing to the Sept. 7 final.

The slow Sharjah pitches give Afghanistan an edge. Their spin-heavy attack includes Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, veteran allrounder Mohammad Nabi, uncapped youngster AM Ghazanfar, and IPL performer Noor Ahmad. Rashid and Mujeeb have exceptional records at the venue, combining for 43 wickets at miserly economy rates.

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Pakistan, under new limited-overs coach Mike Hesson, is also banking on spin. However, the team continues to move past experienced batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, instead prioritizing big-hitters like Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Haris, and Saim Ayub. Pakistan’s recent results under Hesson have been mixed.

Hosts UAE, meanwhile, aim to cause an upset. Four players return to the squad, including allrounder Mohammad Farooq and pacer Junaid Siddique. Coach Lalchand Rajput insists the side, fresh from a home T20 series win against Bangladesh in May, has the potential to trouble higher-ranked teams.

Source: Agency