DUBAI — For the second match in succession, Afghanistan exposed West Indies’ recurring vulnerabilities, pairing commanding top-order batting with ruthless spin bowling to seal a decisive 39-run victory and an unassailable T20I series lead at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Darwish Rasooli anchored Afghanistan’s dominance with another authoritative innings, while off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman dismantled the West Indies’ chase to confirm a 2-0 series advantage with one match remaining.
Early breakthroughs undone by missed chances
West Indies struck early after sending Afghanistan in to bat, with Shamar Joseph removing Rahmanullah Gurbaz for nine, caught at deep backward point. Momentum appeared to be building when Afghanistan were 13 for one, but a costly lapse in the field shifted the tone of the innings.
Evin Lewis dropped Ibrahim Zadran at midwicket off Matthew Forde, and the reprieve proved immediate and damaging. Zadran responded by driving Joseph for consecutive boundaries as Afghanistan surged to 33 for one.
Although Forde recovered to bowl Zadran for 22 with a well-disguised slower delivery, the damage from the missed opportunity lingered.
Rasooli and Atal seize control
Rasooli announced his intent instantly, striking a boundary from his first ball and then launching left-arm pacer Ramon Simmonds for three consecutive fours in his opening over. At the other end, Sediqullah Atal also benefited from a lapse, dropped on 11 at fine leg by Khary Pierre with the score at 63 for two.
The two made West Indies pay dearly. Their third-wicket partnership of 115 runs in just 12 overs decisively swung the match in Afghanistan’s favor.
Rasooli brought up his second half-century of the series from 27 balls, while Atal followed with his fifty from 37 deliveries, despite being spilled again on 49 by wicketkeeper Johnson Charles.
Late firepower pushes Afghanistan beyond reach
Atal eventually fell for 53, caught at deep square leg after striking three sixes and two fours. Rasooli departed soon after for a fluent 68, having struck five fours and three sixes in a 39-ball display.
There was no respite for West Indies. Azmatullah Omarzai blasted an unbeaten 26 from 13 balls, and Mohammad Nabi added further punishment as Afghanistan plundered 34 runs from the final 16 deliveries to post a formidable 189 for four.
Forde emerged as West Indies’ most effective bowler, finishing with two for 25.
Early strikes stall West Indies’ chase
West Indies’ pursuit of 190 faltered almost immediately. A sluggish start compounded pressure, and early wickets left the chase teetering.
Alick Athanaze was run out for eight by a sharp direct hit from Zadran, before Ur Rahman struck twice in successive deliveries, removing Lewis for 13 and dismissing Charles first ball, to reduce the Windies to 38 for three after eight overs.
King and Hetmyer ignite, then fade
Shimron Hetmyer briefly reignited hope with a ferocious counterattack, smashing 46 from just 17 balls. Alongside captain Brandon King, he attempted to rebuild with controlled aggression.
Hetmyer launched spinner Noor Ahmad for three sixes in one over, while King followed by clearing the ropes twice off Rashid Khan. Further blows off Nabi and Ahmad carried West Indies to 99 for three at the end of the 13th over, threatening a late surge.
Just as momentum swung, Fazalhaq Farooqi intervened. Hetmyer was caught on the cover boundary, breaking the partnership and draining belief from the chase.
Collapse seals the outcome
King reached a hard-earned half-century, but his dismissal for 50, caught at long-on, triggered a swift unraveling. From 122 for five, West Indies lost their final five wickets for just 28 runs, folding for 150 in 18.5 overs.
Ur Rahman, named Player of the Match, led the rout with four for 21. Omarzai claimed two for 20, while Farooqi added two for 28 to complete a comprehensive bowling performance.
The victory handed Afghanistan, ranked four places below the sixth-ranked West Indies in the ICC T20I standings, an emphatic and deserved series win. With the final match scheduled for Thursday, Afghanistan will look to complete a clean sweep, while West Indies are left searching for answers after another collapse under pressure.
