In a one-sided affair at Bengaluru’s BCCI Centre of Excellence, Afghanistan kicked off their T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up campaign with a resounding 61-run victory over Scotland on Monday.
Captain’s call to bat first paid dividends as the Afghans raced to 184/6. Losing Gulbadin Naib (3) and Sedikullah Atal (6) early tested their resolve, but Darvish Rasuli and Ibrahim Zadran countered brilliantly.
The duo’s 82-run stand off 54 balls was the turning point, with Zadran’s 36 (32 balls, 1×6, 2×4) laying the foundation. Rasuli’s masterclass followed – an unbeaten 84 from 46 deliveries, smashing 7 fours and 5 sixes, before he retired hurt. Nabi’s explosive 34 off 16 sealed a strong total.
Scotland fought back initially with Brad Wheel (2/??) and Mark Watt (2/??) striking blows, Brad Currie adding one.
Target in sight, Scotland’s chase faltered dramatically at 123 in 19.3 overs. Openers Munsey (13) and Jones built 24, then Jones-McMullen added 29, but wickets tumbled.
Cross (21) and Watt (15) resisted briefly, yet Afghanistan’s bowlers dominated. Omarzai’s 3-fer headlined, with Sharifi, Nabi (2 each), and Mujeeb, Rashid, Gulbadin (1 each) mopping up.
Afghanistan’s all-round display signals their readiness for the global stage, leaving Scotland to regroup after this heavy defeat in the warm-up opener.
