Afghanistan vs UAE Live: Kick-off Time, Streaming Links, Playing XI & Real-Time Score Updates

Sharjah – Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates square off tonight in Match 3 of the UAE T20I Tri-Series, a fixture that will shape both sides’ build-up to next month’s Asia Cup. The hosts won the toss under the Sharjah lights and opted to field first, betting on early moisture and a grass-tinged strip to keep Rashid Khan’s men below 160. Match details • Date & Time: 1 September 2025, 19:00 GST (20-over night game) • Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium • Tournament: UAE T20I Tri-Series (with Pakistan) • Toss: UAE chose to bowl Why this clash is pivotal Both teams lost their opening encounters to table-toppers Pakistan and cannot afford another slip with only the top two advancing to Friday’s final. Afghanistan sit third on net run-rate, while UAE are second, so the winner tonight takes a decisive step toward a rematch with Pakistan later in the week. Confirmed playing XIs Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz†, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (c), Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi UAE: Muhammad Waseem (c), Muhammad Zohaib, Asif Khan, Rahul Chopra†, Ethan D’Souza, Harshit Kaushik, Dhruv Parashar, Saghir Khan, Haider Ali, Muhammad Rohid, Junaid Siddique Pitch & conditions Sharjah’s surface has played true through the series, but a fresh covering of grass and lingering evening humidity should aid seamers for the first 20–30 minutes. Chasing sides, however, have lost both previous matches, so scoreboard pressure could still be a factor if Afghanistan post anything north of 160. Head-to-head snapshot • Overall T20Is: Afghanistan 9 wins, UAE 3 • In UAE: Afghanistan 7 wins, UAE 2 • Last meeting (Jan 2024): Afghanistan won by 4 wickets with 9 balls to spare. Players to watch • Rahmanullah Gurbaz – 189 runs in his last 10 T20Is; the power-hitting keeper averages a strike rate above 140 in Sharjah. • Rashid Khan – 18 wickets in his previous 10 outings, economy 6.73; the skipper’s four-over spell is often the difference. • Muhammad Waseem – the UAE captain’s blistering 158.28 strike rate makes him the hosts’ tone-setter in the Powerplay. • Haider Ali – 18 wickets at 5.40 RPO over his last 10 matches give UAE a genuine death-overs weapon. What’s at stake Victory lifts the winner to four points and virtually seals a spot in the series decider. Defeat, by contrast, leaves qualification hinging on net run-rate and the Pakistan fixture on Wednesday—hardly an ideal scenario with Asia-Cup squads due to be finalised this weekend. Live streaming & broadcast • TV: Star Sports 2 (MENA), Ariana Television (Afghanistan) • Digital: FanCode app in the subcontinent, Etisalat CricLife+ in the UAE • Free live score: ESPNcricinfo match center (ball-by-ball commentary) Social buzz The hashtag #AFGvUAE is already trending across X (Twitter) and TikTok as fans dissect Afghanistan’s middle-order wobble against Pakistan and UAE supporters debate whether fielding first can buck the series trend. Expect real-time highlights, memes and predictive polls once the first ball is bowled. Verdict If Afghanistan’s top order survives the new-ball burst from Junaid Siddique and Haider Ali, their spin trio—Rashid, Mujeeb and Sharafuddin—should exploit Sharjah’s grip to strangle the chase. But a quickfire cameo from Muhammad Waseem or Asif Khan could tilt momentum towards the hosts. Either way, tonight’s Afghanistan vs UAE showdown promises high-stakes T20 drama and a direct path to the tri-series final.