SHARJAH: After seeing his impressive performance with the ball going in vain during as Pakistan’s went down to Afghanistan in their tri-series Twenty20 International at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf said wickets falling in quick successions derailed his team’s chase.

Faheem’s 4-27 did keep Afghanistan restricted to 169-5 but Pakistan, in response, fell short by 18 runs, with tailender Haris Rauf’s (34 off 16) rearguard action controlling the damage.

Pakistan looked to have gotten a decent hold on the game when captain Salman Ali Agha and veteran batter Fakhar Zaman were on the crease, but with both falling in the space five balls, the side was left reeling.

The lower-order batters, including Faheem, failed to make a difference after that as Afghanistan’s spin battery led by captain Rashid Khan wrapped up the proceedings.

“If we had built partnerships, the result would have been different,” Faheem told reporters after the match, adding that Salman’s wicket – a run out – changed the course of the game.

“Yes, that [Salman’s wicket] was a turning point. But if you look throughout, from top to bottom, we didn’t form the big partnership that was needed.

“The way we’ve been playing, one or two players play a long innings and score big, and the team revolves around them.

“We didn’t form partnerships, we only managed small partnerships, not the big ones needed to change the match’s outcome.”

Since Mike Hesson took charge as Pakistan’s white-ball head coach this summer, Faheem has become a regular pick in the Pakistan XI as the side’s second change bowler as well as a lower-order pinch-hitter.

On Wednesday, he broke what eventually proved to be a match-winning partnership between Afgha­nistan top-order batters Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal – dismissing both -- before going on to take the crucial wickets of all-rounders Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi.

Faheem’s show helped lessen doubts over his utility as a genuine all-rounder.

“… my effort is always to play according to the team’s requirements,” he said. “If I’ve taken wickets after a long time today, I don’t think I need to do something for myself personally.

“My focus is always on what the team needs from me, what the team wants.”

Pakistan are building up to next year’s World Cup without once mainstays Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, with the duo gone unpicked for the tri-series as well as the following Asia Cup.

When asked during the press conference if the Pakistan dressing room missed Babar and Rizwan during what was a difficult chase, Faheem said: “During the match, you only think about the match — how many runs we need or how many balls are left.

“Sitting here, we might think of other things, like family, but during the match, you don’t even think about family.”

Pakistan take on hosts United Arab Emirates in their next tri-series match on Thursday.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2025