Afghanistan Cruise Past Uganda in Emphatic T20 World Cup Opener

Guyana, October 16th – Afghanistan opened their T20 World Cup campaign with a resounding 125-run victory over debutants Uganda in Guyana. After electing to bat first, Afghanistan’s opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran put on a stellar 154-run partnership to set the foundation for an imposing total of 183-5.

Gurbaz, the wicket-keeper, led the charge with a blistering 76 off just 45 deliveries, while Zadran contributed a solid 70 off 46 balls. Despite a late flurry of wickets, Afghanistan were able to post a formidable score, thanks to the impressive efforts of Cosmas Kyewuta (2-25) and Brian Masaba (2-21) from the Ugandan side.

“The opening partnership was crucial in setting up the platform for a big score,” said Afghanistan captain, Mohammad Nabi.

In response, Uganda’s chase was dealt an early blow as they lost two wickets in the opening three balls. Fazalhaq Farooqi, the Afghanistan bowler, was on the verge of a hat-trick in the first over, finishing with remarkable figures of 5-9 from his four overs. Rashid Khan and Naveen Ul Haq also chipped in with two wickets each as Uganda were bundled out for a meager 58 in 16 overs.

The emphatic victory sets Afghanistan up for a clash against New Zealand in the next Group C encounter, while Uganda will look to bounce back against Papua New Guinea.

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