Allrounder gulbadin naib

T20 World Cup: Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott praised opener Ibrahim Zadran’s mental strength after his match-winning 53 took the side home in a chase of 161 against the UAE, saying the youngster showed the ability to bounce back from setbacks.

At the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, Zadran hit a composed 53 off 41 balls while Azmatullah Omarzai’s cameo of 40 not out ensured the chase was completed for Afghanistan with four balls to spare, even as UAE’s bowlers fought hard to keep the contest alive.

The result also means Afghanistan have kept their slim hopes of reaching the Super Eights alive, though it could be dashed if New Zealand beat Canada in Chennai on Tuesday. Zadran steadied the innings through a fluent knock laced with five fours and a six and played his part in sealing Afghanistan’s first points in the tournament.