Afghanistan all-rounder Gulbadin Naib kept the atmosphere light before turning his focus to cricketing matters, joking with reporters in the mixed zone, “Sab India-Pakistan ke chakkar mein ud gaya,” following Afghanistan’s clash against the United Arab Emirates at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Earlier in the tournament, India delivered a commanding performance to defeat Pakistan by 61 runs at the R. Premadasa Stadium in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, sealing their place in the Super Eight stage. The victory once again underlined India’s dominance in this high-stakes rivalry, strengthening their superior World Cup head-to-head record.
Asked to bat first after losing the toss, India suffered an early setback when Abhishek Sharma departed for a golden duck. However, Ishan Kishan steadied the innings with a blistering 77 off 40 deliveries, expertly handling the slow, turning surface with authoritative strokeplay. Captain Suryakumar Yadav contributed 32, while valuable runs from the lower order propelled India to a competitive 175/7 in 20 overs.
Pakistan’s chase never found momentum. India’s bowlers struck early and maintained relentless pressure with a disciplined mix of pace and spin. Despite a fighting 44 from Usman Khan, Pakistan were bowled out for 114 in 18 overs, handing India a comprehensive 61-run victory.
In the later Group D encounter, Afghanistan secured a crucial five-wicket win over the United Arab Emirates to keep their campaign alive. Afghanistan’s bowlers restricted the UAE to 160/9 in 20 overs, with Azmatullah Omarzai producing a superb spell of 4/15. Sohaib Khan top-scored for the Emirates with a resilient 64.
Gulbadin Naib praised Omarzai
Naib reserved special praise for Omarzai, highlighting his growing stature in world cricket. “He has been outstanding since joining the team. He contributes in all departments — bowling, batting and fielding. In this generation, he is one of the best all-rounders in world cricket. Whether it is 50-over or 20-over cricket, he makes an impact,” Naib said.
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