Mujeeb's 5-20 helps Afghanistan crush Scotland by 130 runs in T20 World Cup

Published October 25, 2021
Afghanistan players celebrate their win against Scotland during the Twenty20 World Cup match in Sharjah on Oct 25. — AP
Afghanistan players celebrate their win against Scotland during the Twenty20 World Cup match in Sharjah on Oct 25. — AP
Afghanistan's Mujeebur Rahman (R) celebrates after taking the wicket of Scotland's Calum MacLeod (not pictured) during the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup cricket match between Afghanistan and Scotland at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on October 25. — AFP
Afghanistan's Mujeebur Rahman (R) celebrates after taking the wicket of Scotland's Calum MacLeod (not pictured) during the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup cricket match between Afghanistan and Scotland at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on October 25. — AFP
Scotland's Chris Greaves (L) plays a shot as Afghanistan's wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad watches during the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup cricket match between Afghanistan and Scotland at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on October 25. — AFP
Scotland's Chris Greaves (L) plays a shot as Afghanistan's wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad watches during the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup cricket match between Afghanistan and Scotland at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on October 25. — AFP

Spinner Mujeebur Rahman took five wickets in Afghanistan's record 130-run rout of Scotland in their opening Super 12s match of the Twenty20 World Cup on Monday.

Chasing a daunting 191 for victory, Scotland were bowled out for 60 in 10.2 overs with five batters dismissed for ducks in Sharjah.

Mujeeb returned his best T20 figures of 5-20 and fellow spinner Rashid Khan claimed four wickets to hand Afghanistan their biggest victory margin in the game's shortest format.

Najibullah Zadran set up the win with his 34-ball 59 to guide Afghanistan to their best total of 190-4 in the tournament after they elected to bat first.

Mujeeb remained the hero with his three wickets in one over, including two in successive deliveries, to decimate Scotland's top and middle order.

Scotland, who made the Super 12s of this event for the first time after they won all three matches in the qualifiers, could never recover after Calum MacLeod, Richie Berrington and Matthew Cross fell without scoring, and the team crashed to their lowest T20 total.

Earlier, Najibullah and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (46) put together an attacking 87-run partnership for the third wicket, tearing into the Scotland bowling with seven sixes between them.

Najibullah fell on the final ball of the innings while attempting his fourth six in a 34-ball blitz that took Afghanistan past their previous tournament high of 186 in 2016.

Hazratullah Zazai put on a quickfire opening stand of 54 with Mohammad Shahzad, who made 22.

Zazai smashed 44 off 30 balls but Mark Watt denied the batsman a fifty after bowling him with a toe-crushing yorker.

Safyaan Sharif took two wickets in an innings that witnessed 11 sixes in total.

The win puts Afghanistan at the top of the Group 2 table above Pakistan, who thrashed rivals India by 10 wickets on Sunday.

“We have been playing some good cricket to get here, but sometimes things don't go to plan,” Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer said after the thumping.

“We fought hard in the field. It's just a level check to see where our standards are. We'll be better for it in the next game.”

Opinion

Editorial

Iran stalemate
Updated 02 May, 2026

Iran stalemate

THE US and Iran are currently somewhere between war and peace. While a tenuous ceasefire — extended largely due to...
Tax shortfall
02 May, 2026

Tax shortfall

THE Rs684bn shortfall in tax collection during the first 10 months of the fiscal year is a continuation of a...
Teaching inclusion
02 May, 2026

Teaching inclusion

DISCRIMINATORY and exclusionary content in Punjab’s textbooks has been flagged in Inclusive Education for a United...
Water vision
01 May, 2026

Water vision

WATER insecurity in Pakistan has been building up for decades as per capita water availability has declined from...
Vaccine policy
01 May, 2026

Vaccine policy

PAKISTAN has finally approved its first National Vaccine Policy; a step the health ministry has rightly described as...
Labour rights
Updated 01 May, 2026

Labour rights

THE annual observance of May Day should move beyond statements about the state’s commitment to the rights of...