Zadran, Rasooli pummel shoddy WI in opening T20I

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CMC):

Led by a superb, record-breaking performance by Ibrahim Zadran and Darwish Rasooli, Afghanistan romped to a comprehensive 38-run victory over an out-of-sorts West Indies in their opening T20 International (T20I) match yesterday.

Zadran scored an unbeaten 87 off 56 balls, while Player of the Match Rasooli struck slammed 84 from 59 balls, to lead Afghanistan to a competitive 181 for three in their 20 overs after they elected to bat first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

They were ably assisted by the West Indies, who dropped them three times in the space of two overs in a forgettable fielding display.

The Windies then followed that up with an equally shoddy display with the bat, slumping to 50 for five before eventually ending their innings on 143 for nine.

It was a far cry from the manner in which they started the match, with the visitors producing two brilliant fielding efforts to put Afghanistan on the backfoot.

Jayden Seales' first ball of the match brought immediate success for the Windies, with Gudakesh Motie's sensational direct throw from mid-on finding Rahmanullah Gurbaz well short of his ground at the non-striker's end as he attempted a quick single.

Captain Brandon King then leapt into the air to pull off a stunning one-handed catch at first slip to dismiss Sediqullah Atal for just two, to see Afghanistan slip to 19 for two in the third over.

His dismissal brought Rasooli to the crease, and for the next 17 and a half overs, the pair tormented the West Indies' bowlers during a partnership of 162 runs - Afghanistan's second highest in T20Is and the fifth highest ever for the third wicket in all T20Is.

Shamar Joseph, making his return from injury, was hit by Rasooli for two fours in his first over that leaked 11 runs, while left-arm spinner Khary Pierre was given the same treatment, this time by Zadran in the ensuing over, as Afghanistan raced to 51 for two after six overs.

Zadran brought up his half-century off 37 balls with a single off Gudakesh Motie, becoming the first player from Afghanistan to score four consecutive T20I half-centuries in the process.

Rasooli joined him soon after, reaching his 50 off 36 balls by nudging Forde to midwicket for two runs.

After 14 overs Afghanistan were 111 for two, but the pair bludgeoned 70 runs off the last six overs in a spectacular finish.

With the score 147 for two at the start of the 18th over, Gudakesh Motie dropped Rasooli at long on off the bowling of Seales, and two balls later, Evin Lewis dropped Zadran at deep midwicket.

Shimron Hetmyer then spilled an easy catch at long off to get rid of Zadran off the bowling of Joseph in the next over.

Zadran's unbeaten knock contained eight fours and three sixes, while Rasooli, who was dismissed off the last ball of the innings, struck eight fours and two sixes.

Needing to score at just over nine runs an over, King started well for the Windies by driving Mujeeb Ur Rahman's first ball of the innings to extra cover for four.

But Ur Rahman got his revenge four balls later when he bowled the opener with an inswinger that cannoned into the middle stump.

Johnson Charles smashed Ur Rahman for a six in the third over and then hit him for a six and two fours off the first three balls of the fifth over, before the pacer made amends by having Evin Lewis caught at deep midwicket to leave the Windies 38 for two.

His dismissal sparked a collapse that saw the West Indies lose four wickets for 12 runs and effectively sealed the outcome.

Debutant Quentin Sampson hit two sixes and two fours in his top score of 30, while Gudakesh Motie (28) and Matthew Forde (25) starred in cameos.

Ziaur Rahman was Afghanistan's best bowler with 3-36, while Rashid Khan (2-19), Ur Rahman (2-29) and Noor Ahmad (2-34) took two wickets apiece.

The second T20I is set to be played on Wednesday.