Match 1 | Afghanistan vs Pakistan | Aug 29, 2025 | 08:30 PM IST
📍 Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE
🌍 Series: Afghanistan & Pakistan Tour of UAE 2025
🔎 Match Preview
Afghanistan and Pakistan face off in Sharjah for the opening clash of their UAE tour. Both teams arrive with mixed recent form – Afghanistan (W-W-L-L-W) have shown fight, while Pakistan (W-L-W-W-L) remain inconsistent but dangerous.
Sharjah has traditionally been a tricky surface with support for pacers and batters who can play spin well. Afghanistan’s bowling attack, led by Rashid Khan and Fazalhaq Farooqi, looks threatening. Pakistan, on the other hand, will rely on young batting stars like Saim Ayub and experienced all-rounders like Mohammad Nawaz.
This promises to be a balanced contest with fantasy potential in both departments.
📊 Win Probability
Team | Win % |
|---|---|
Afghanistan | 45% |
Pakistan | 55% |
🏟️ Pitch & Venue Analysis – Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Average 1st Innings Score: 168
Avg Wickets/Innings: 6
Bat vs Bowl Contribution: Bat 56% | Bowl 44%
Toss Trends: Teams prefer to chase (90% wins while chasing).
Pacers vs Spinners:
Pacers: 14.7 fantasy pts/over
Spinners: 12.7 fantasy pts/over
👉 Pacers hold an edge here.
Fantasy Insights at Sharjah
Batting-friendly with late assistance for bowlers.
First innings is slightly tougher; chasing teams score more freely.
Pacers tend to dominate at the death.
⭐ Fantasy Player Rankings (Last 5 Matches – All Venues)
🔹 Afghanistan Top Performers
Player | Role | Fantasy Pts (Avg) |
|---|---|---|
Rashid Khan | AR | 483 (84 avg) |
Naveen-ul-Haq | BOW | 402 (64 avg) |
Fazalhaq Farooqi | BOW | 178 (71 avg recent) |
Azmat Omarzai | AR | 261 (47 avg) |
Gulbadin Naib | AR | 252 (49 avg) |
Rahmanullah Gurbaz | WK | 105 (35 avg) |
🔹 Pakistan Top Performers
Player | Role | Fantasy Pts (Avg) |
|---|---|---|
Mohammad Nawaz | AR | 479 (81 avg) |
Saim Ayub | BAT | 476 (71 avg) |
Sahibzada Farhan | BAT | 317 (76 avg recent) |
Hasan Ali | BOW | 384 (76 avg) |
Shadab Mirza | BOW | 309 (103 avg recent) |
Faheem Ashraf | AR | 294 (59 avg recent) |
⏱️ Powerplay & Death Overs Impact
AFG Powerplay: Gurbaz & Ibrahim Zadran provide starts; Naveen-ul-Haq effective with new ball.
AFG Death: Rashid Khan & Farooqi crucial wicket-takers.
PAK Powerplay: Saim Ayub explosive; Hasan Ali takes early wickets.
PAK Death: Nawaz + Rauf effective in closing overs.
🏆 Key Fantasy Picks
🔑 MVP Picks
Rashid Khan (AFG): Consistent wicket-taker & economical; always a Dream11 favorite.
Mohammad Nawaz (PAK): Multi-dimensional AR with both bat & ball.
Saim Ayub (PAK): In-form aggressive opener.
🎯 Differential Picks
Naveen-ul-Haq (AFG): Swing bowler with high strike rate early on.
Hasan Ali (PAK): Can pick 2–3 wickets if Sharjah aids pacers.
Azmat Omarzai (AFG): Handy all-round option for middle overs.
📋 Suggested Dream11 Team
WK: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sahibzada Farhan
BAT: Saim Ayub, Ibrahim Zadran, Fakhar Zaman
AR: Rashid Khan (C), Mohammad Nawaz (VC), Azmat Omarzai
BOW: Hasan Ali, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi
👉 Captain: Rashid Khan
👉 Vice-Captain: Mohammad Nawaz
📌 Final Fantasy Tips
If AFG bats first: Back Rashid Khan & Naveen-ul-Haq for max points; chasing will be tough.
If PAK chases: Stack top-order bats (Saim Ayub, Farhan, Fakhar) + Nawaz.
Avoid picking too many spinners; pacers dominate at this venue.
A balanced 6-5 team split (PAK-AFG) looks optimal.