Afghanistan scored 183/5 in 20 overs, where as Uganda scored 58 in 16 overs.
So, finally Afghanistan beat Uganda by 125 runs.
Afghanistan gave Uganda an incredibly tough initiation to World Cup cricket, humbling them with both bat and ball to secure a mammoth 125-run victory.
Demonstrating Rashid Khan’s assertion that they are no longer just a bowling-reliant side, Afghanistan’s openers dominated for most of the innings.
Despite a late stutter, their total of 183/5 proved far too good for Uganda.
Left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi picked up a five-wicket haul, finishing with the fourth-best bowling figures in men’s T20 World Cup history (5 for 9).
Where Was the Game Won?
The Power Play.
Afghanistan blazed through their openers and then bamboozled the World Cup debutants by taking five wickets during this period, swiftly ending any hopes Uganda had of a memorable evening.
| Parameters | Afghanistan | Uganda |
|---|---|---|
| Runs | 66 For 0 | 21 For 5 |
| RR | 11 | 3.6 |
| 4s/6s | 9 and 2 | 3 and 0 |
Afghanistan
Power Play: Gurbaz, Zadran Fly Off the Blocks
Phase Score: 66/0 [RR: 11.00, 4s/6s: 9/2]
Uganda’s bowlers faced a tough initiation to World Cup cricket after their captain Brian Masaba opted to bowl.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz signaled his intentions early, smashing a six over long-off on the second ball of the innings from left-arm spinner Alpesh Ramjani.
Both Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran continued to attack aggressively, hitting boundaries at will.
The Power Play ended with an 18-run over where Gurbaz hit Dinesh Nakrani for four successive boundaries, marking Afghanistan’s highest Power Play score in T20 World Cups.
Middle Overs: More of the Same, but Record Missed
Phase Score: 90/1 [RR: 10.00, 4s/6s: 4/3]
Afghanistan’s openers continued their onslaught, maintaining a run rate of over 10 per over.
Gurbaz reached his half-century in 28 balls, and Afghanistan’s 100 came up in the 10th over.
Zadran followed with his fifty off 34 balls in the 12th over.
Bilal Hassan’s return to bowling was disastrous, conceding 25 runs in an over.
However, Masaba broke the opening stand as Zadran was bowled for a 46-ball 70, falling 15 runs short of the highest opening stand in T20 World Cup history.
Death Overs: Uganda Claw Back with Wickets
Phase Score: 27/4 [RR: 5.40, 4s/6s: 0/0]
Following the fall of Zadran, Gurbaz was dismissed four balls later by Ramjani.
Masaba struck again, removing Najibullah Zadran in the 17th over.
Afghanistan lost their way in the death overs, with four wickets falling in five overs and no boundaries scored.
Masaba finished with excellent figures of 2 for 21, and medium-pacer Cosmas Kyewuta took 2 for 25.
Uganda
Power Play: Afghanistan Pick Five
Phase Score: 21/5 [RR: 3.60, 4s/6s: 3/0]
Uganda’s opener Ronak Patel started with a boundary but was bowled by Fazalhaq Farooqi on the next ball.
Roger Mukasa was trapped leg before by another similar delivery for a first-ball duck.
Simon Ssesazi’s top-edge off an attempted slog sweep was caught, leaving Uganda at 8 for 3 in the second over.
Dinesh Nakrani and Alpesh Ramjani also fell to Naveen-ul-Haq, reducing Uganda to 21/5.
Middle Overs: Farooqi Completes Fifer
Phase Score: 35/3 [RR: 3.89, 4s/6s: 1/1]
Uganda managed to halt the slide briefly with a cautious stand between Riazat Ali Shah and Robinson Obuya.
However, Farooqi returned in the 13th over and claimed two wickets in two balls, narrowly missing a hat-trick.
He then dismissed Obuya, completing his five-wicket haul and putting Afghanistan firmly in control.
Death Overs: Rashid Wraps Up the Big Win
Phase Score: 2/2 [RR: 2.00, 4s/6s: 0/0]
Rashid Khan took the final two wickets to seal Afghanistan’s comprehensive victory.
He trapped Hassan leg before with a googly and then bowled the number 11 batsman with another googly, wrapping up Uganda’s innings and ensuring a dominant win for Afghanistan.
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