PCB chairman showers praise on Pakistan after dominant win over Afghanistan

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday heaped praise on Pakistan after their emphatic victory against Afghanistan in the tri-nation T20I series final.

Naqvi singled out left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz for special praise, applauding his match-winning all-round display, including a hat-trick, fearless batting, and pivotal contributions that swung the game decisively in Pakistan’s favour.

“Despite a modest total, the team displayed excellent teamwork to defeat Afghanistan in the final,” he said.

“I congratulate Head Coach Mike Hesson, Captain Salman Ali Agha, and all players for this remarkable victory. The nation rightly expects such high-level performances, and today’s win will surely boost the players’ morale.”

The PCB chief also took to the board’s social media platform 'X' to highlight the team’s consistency in recent matches and urged fans and critics alike to offer full support ahead of upcoming tournaments.

He expressed confidence that the team will continue to deliver similarly strong performances in the upcoming Asia Cup.

“Congratulations to Team Pakistan on winning the Tri-Series! This is a new but talented team playing fearless and aggressive cricket. Under Head Coach Mike Hesson and his coaching staff, we’ve won 10 out of 14 T20 matches already,” he said.

“Let’s believe in our boys, coaches, and selectors. Full support to the Greens for the Asia Cup. Criticism and analysis can wait until after the tournament. Right now, they deserve our trust, support, and backing,” Naqvi added.

Pakistan defeated Afghanistan by 75 runs in the final of the tri-nation T20I series at Sharjah, powered by an extraordinary performance from spinner Mohammad Nawaz.

Chasing 142, Afghanistan crumbled for 66. Shaheen Afridi removed opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz for five in the first over, setting the tone.

Sediqullah Atal fell for 13 to Abrar Ahmed, and Nawaz struck twice in one over, dismissing Darwish Rasooli and Azmatullah Omarzai.

Nawaz then struck twice again in one over and completed his hat-trick by dismissing Ibrahim Zadran, before picking up his fourth wicket by removing Karim Janat, reducing Afghanistan to 32-6.

Abrar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem also claimed two wickets each.

Pakistan’s innings saw early wickets, with Sahibzada Farhan dismissed for a duck. Saim Ayub (17) and Fakhar Zaman (27) offered resistance before falling to spinners.

Skipper Salman Ali Agha and Nawaz added 40 runs to stabilize the innings, with Nawaz contributing 25. Pakistan set a target of 141-8.

Rashid Khan took 3/38, while Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and AM Ghazanfar claimed the remaining wickets.