Asif Ali scored a quickfire unbeaten 25 off 7 balls as Pakistan defeated Afghanistan by 5 wickets at Dubai International stadium on Friday.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Afghanistan got off to a bad start as Hazratullah Zazai miscued a Imad Wasim delivery to Haris Rauf at short third man for a duck.
Shaheen Shah Afridi then got into the act by dismissing Mohammad Shahzad (8) caught at mid on by Babar Azam.
Asghar Afghan (10) offered a simple caught and bowled to Rauf, while Rahmanullah Gurbaz perished to Hasan Ali leaving their side in a spot of bother at 39/4.
Mohammad Nabi and Gulbadin Naib added an unbeaten 71 run stand for the seventh wicket to take Afghanistan to 147/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
Chasing 148, Pakistan lost Mohammad Rizwan (8) early in the chase, as he holed out to square leg off Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
The pair of Babar along with Fakhar Zaman added 63 runs for the second wicket before the latter was trapped by Nabi for a 25 ball-30.
Star spinner Rashid Khan claimed his 100th T20I wicket by dismissing Mohammad Hafeez top edging a slog sweep to Gulbadin at long on for 10.
Azam and Shoaib Malik added 25 runs for the fourth wicket stand. Pakistan skipper who was dropped at backward point, finally had his man as Babar went for a needless slog and was bowled by Rashid for 51.
Malik (19) edged a Naveen-ul- Haq delivery behind the stumps reducing Pakistan to 124/5.
With 24 needed off 12 balls, Asif Ali slammed Karim Janat for four sixes as Pakistan reached the target with 6 balls to spare.
Asif Ali was declared the Man of the Match.